Little Blessings
by DryadSpeaks
Summary: Quinn, Artie, and Avery are perfectly happy with their little family, but something is missing.  Part of the Averyverse.  Chronicles their attempts at having another child.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: What better way to mark my triumphant return to writing fanfic than by starting a story I've been talking about with select people for the last couple of weeks? Not too sure what we're looking at length-wise here, but this chapter is just a short introduction...there will be many more chapters to come. **

**I had said I was going to start this to break in my new laptop (which hasn't arrived yet), but decided to do it now. BECAUSE I CAN.**

**Fic is in the Averyverse...in case that wasn't obvious. **

**To new readers...recommended (although not required) reading in this 'verse includes my stories:**

**-I'm in Your Brains, the Expanded Edition**

**-Unicorns and Glitter**

**-First Day of School**

**-First Word**

**-Five is Old Enough**

**Also, not to worry (just in case anyone did...)...everything that has been on hiatus will be back over the next couple of weeks or so. I'M BACK, YO!**

**...I know. Longest A/N EVER. But...triumphant return! So much to say! :)**

* * *

><p>"She asked me again today," Quinn said, settling herself down in their bed. "That's three times in the last week."<p>

Artie nodded, turning to her. "I know, she's asked me a few times too. I don't know what to tell her."

Leaning closer, Quinn laid her head on his shoulder. "Well, maybe if we keep trying..." she trailed off.

He shook his head. "We've been trying for over a year, and it's obviously not working. Everyone was so surprised the first time...I didn't think it could happen again. I mean...I hoped it could, but I'm also realistic. I'm just happy that it happened once."

"But maybe if we just keep trying," she said again. "I mean...it happened once, it could happen again, right?"

Artie shrugged. "I don't know. I talked about it with Dr. Scott last time I was there, and he said that the chances of us being able to have another baby with me as the father without some kind of medical...intervention, are low. And I don't want to put you through that...what if it doesn't work? Or what if something goes wrong?"

"You're not going to be 'putting me through' anything. We're going to do it together," she said, running her hand through his hair. "And it's not like we didn't know that we'd probably have to get some help if we want to have more kids. Which we've both always known that we do...right? I mean, if I hadn't gotten pregnant like that, don't you think we would have tried this sooner?"

He grinned. "Of course we do, and you're right...we probably would have. Besides...if Avery doesn't get a little brother or sister soon, she's going to go on a rampage. So really, this could be seen as a peacekeeping mission..."

Quinn giggled. "Speaking of Avery, you'd better keep the comment I KNOW you're about to make about 'sending in the troops' to yourself, because I think she's out of bed."

Artie gasped. "What? Hold up, woman. I was NOT about to make a troops comment. What do you think I am?"

She giggled again. "I don't THINK anything...I KNOW what you are."

He was about to respond, when Avery poked her head into their doorway. "Daddy, Bailey came to wake me up because he's hungry. Can I give him some food?"

Artie grinned. "He came to wake you up? Then why can I hear him snoring? Is he in your bed again?"

The little girl shook her head. "No! He came into my room to wake me up because he's hungry. Can you come help me?"

"And he's not in your bed?" Quinn asked, sitting up. "Are you sure?"

Avery bit her lip and looked away. Recognizing the facial expression that both her husband and her daughter got when they weren't being quite truthful, Quinn threw back the covers.

"I want Daddy to come," Avery said, quickly. "I want him to tuck me in after we feed Bailey. And Bailey isn't in my bed."

Quinn and Artie exchanged glances, before Artie grinned and threw back the covers on his side of the bed, and prepared to transfer to his chair.

After he was settled, Avery climbed up into his lap, and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, Daddy," she said, turning. "And Mommy, I love you too! And I love Bailey!"

Quinn grinned, watching two of the most important people in her life make their way out the bedroom door and down the hall. She thought about following them quietly, but decided against it. She would use the few moments of alone time she'd have before Artie was back to think about what they had discussed. She knew that Artie had concerns about them seeking medical intervention to conceive another child, and, while she wasn't without concerns herself, she felt that it was something they needed to do. She hoped that she could bring him around to realize that it would be ok, and that she could convince him to make an appointment with the doctor to discuss their options.

* * *

><p>As Artie rolled through Avery's bedroom door, he was greeted by a pair of soulful brown eyes peeking out from under her pink comforter. He was about to say something, when Avery leaned in and whispered into his ear.<p>

"Daddy, please don't get mad. I know Bailey shouldn't be in my bed, but he looked sad, and I just wanted to cuddle him. Can I get a bigger bed so he can sleep with me all the time? We could keep my little bed for when we get a new baby."

Artie's expression softened. "I think maybe we could get you a bigger bed," he said. "I know it's getting a little tight in there for both of you."

"And can we keep my little bed for when we get a new baby?" she asked, looking up at him. "I really want a little brother or sister, Daddy," she added. "I want to be a big sister."

He smiled softly. "I know you do, princess. I can't make any promises, but it is something that Mommy and I have been talking about."

She grinned. "And Daddy...I have a secret. Bailey isn't really hungry. I just wanted you to come tuck me in and maybe read me a story. Do you think we could do that?"

"I think we could arrange that," he said, grinning back at her. "Why don't you get in there with Bailey, and I'll grab a book?"

"Ok," she said, climbing down off his lap and padding over to her bed. "Bailey," she whispered, "Can you please move so I can come under the covers with you?"

Artie sat back, watching them. When Bailey shifted his eyes from Avery's blue ones to Artie's even bluer ones, he made a small gesture with his head, and the dog scooted himself over so the little girl could lie down beside him.

Artie plucked a book from the neatly organized shelf, and wheeled over to the bed. "How about this one?" he asked, setting the brake on his chair.

The little girl nodded sleepily. "I like that one," she said.

As Artie began to read, Avery closed her eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep. Satisfied that she was sleeping, he put the book down, pulled the comforter up, tucking it around her small body, and leaned forward to kiss her goodnight.

* * *

><p>Quinn stood in the hallway, watching as Artie tucked Avery in. She smiled softly. Artie was such an amazing father...somehow she would find a way to convince him that getting some help to try and have another child was the right thing for them to do.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Quinn rolled over sleepily, and went to put her hand on Artie's like she did every morning.

But Artie wasn't there. In fact, judging from the coolness of the sheet where he usually slept, he hadn't been there for quite some time.

Quinn sat up slowly, and slipped her feet into the slippers sitting next to the bed. She sat for a moment, listening for signs of life in the house. When she heard nothing, she got up, and went to see where Artie was.

Quinn made her way slowly down the hall, and peeked into Avery's room, pushing the almost-closed door open just enough so she could stick her head in. What she saw made her melt a little inside.

Artie and Bailey were stretched out in Avery's bed, while she was sprawled out across both of them, her head resting comfortably on Artie's chest. The three of them were covered haphazardly with Avery's pink comforter, and, judging from the faint snoring coming from the bed, everyone was still asleep.

Quinn tiptoed quietly back to their bedroom, where she grabbed her camera, and snuck back to Avery's room to take a picture of her sleeping family.

As the shutter clicked for the third time, Artie began to stir. He opened his eyes slightly, squinting over towards the doorway and trying not to move so he wouldn't wake Avery.

Even without his glasses, Artie could make out the outline of Quinn bringing her finger to her lips, motioning for him to be quiet so as not to wake their sleeping daughter. He grinned at her, as she approached the bed, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

After watching them for another minute or so, Quinn gestured towards the door, and tiptoed out of the room to start making breakfast.

* * *

><p>Artie tried to go back to sleep after Quinn left, but it was too late...he was awake. He reached with his free arm, and plucked his glasses from their perch on the seat of his chair, placing them carefully onto his face.<p>

Looking down, he smiled softly at his daughter's small form. His smile widened when he saw how she was draped over him and Bailey.

The night before, after she'd fallen asleep, he'd stayed in the room with her for a bit just to be close to her. He had been about to leave, when a soft voice had whispered, "Daddy. Can you come to bed with me? Bailey can move. I want you, too."

Unable to resist the quiet plea, he had wheeled closer to the bed, prodding Bailey lightly until the dog was up against the wall. As Avery watched her big, brown friend move over, she crawled out of bed to make space for Artie.

After a bit of careful manoeuvring, father, daughter, and dog were situated in the bed. Avery had leaned down, grasping the comforter in her small hands, and had pulled it over them.

"I love you, Daddy," she'd whispered, nuzzling her head into his neck. "You're the best daddy ever."

"And you're the best daughter ever," he'd whispered back. "Goodnight, princess. I love you too."

* * *

><p>After about half an hour of lying there listening to Avery's soft breaths, mixed with Bailey's somewhat louder ones, Artie shifted a bit in the bed, trying not to disturb the sleeping pair.<p>

"Daddy?" Avery mumbled, rubbing her eyes with her fist. "Are you awake?"

"Good morning, Sweetie," he said quietly. "How did you sleep?"

The little girl grinned, her eyes brightening. "It was so good and warm. You're so soft, Daddy! Did you sleep good, too?"

He nodded. "You know I always have a good sleep with you and Bailey. And with just you. And with Mommy. And you and Mommy, and...ok, you know Daddy can have a good sleep anywhere."

Avery giggled. "We should go find Mommy," she said, crawling off of his chest. "She might be lonely."

Avery had a final cuddle with Bailey while Artie transferred himself to his chair, and then, after telling Bailey to get out of the bed, the three of them made their way towards the kitchen.

"Hey, you three," Quinn said, coming around the edge of the counter. "Have a good sleep?"

Artie was about to comment, when Avery piped up. "We did, Mommy! I'm sorry that you had to sleep alone, but I just wanted to cuddle Daddy and Bailey and I wanted you too, but there was no space. And next time I'll make Bailey sleep with you so you're not alone."

Quinn grinned. "That's ok, honey," she said, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek. "As long as you guys had a good sleep, I'm happy."

"We were talking about getting Avery a bigger bed last night," Artie said, wheeling himself around the counter to get a cup of the coffee Quinn had made earlier. "So she and...so she has more room," he finished, looking away to hide the amusement in his eyes.

"You mean so she and Bailey have more room," Quinn said, a twinkle in her eye. "Don't think I don't know what happens in there, you two."

Avery giggled. "But he just looks so sad, and he just wants to be loved," she said. "And I love him. And Daddy. And you. And Daddy said we could keep my little bed for when we get a new baby."

Quinn's expression softened even more, as she glanced over the small girl's head into Artie's blue eyes. "Avery, sweetie," she said, "Can you please go and find your other pink sock in your room? I was going to do laundry, but there was only one."

The little girl nodded, and ran off down the hall.

Quinn sat down at the table, next to Artie.

"You told her we could keep her bed for when we get a new baby?" she asked, quietly.

"Well, not exactly," he said, quietly. "She said it, and I...well, I didn't say that we wouldn't do that."

Quinn's eyes teared up slightly, as she reached out and took his hand. "What does that mean, Artie?"

He looked up. "If you're still sure you want to do this...I'm going to phone and make an appointment on Monday," he said, quietly. "Just so we can see what our options are."

A tear ran down her cheek, as she reached out and took his other hand. "I want to do this," she said. "I love you, so much. And I just want you to be happy."

He reached up, wiping the tear from her cheek. "I love you too," he said. "And I'm already happy. If this works, I'll just be even happier. Like...exploding levels of happiness."

Quinn giggled. "Only you would make a joke in a situation like this," she said, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around him.

He grinned. "That wasn't a joke, woman! I will literally explode with happiness, yo!"

"Oh, really, yo?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I am not going to clean that up."

"Artie-splosion in the houuuuse!" he said, biting his lip to keep himself from bursting into hysterical laughter.

Quinn was about to respond, when Avery came racing back into the kitchen. "Mommy, I found it," she said. "But then I lost it again."

Noticing the small girls' tightly-clenched fist behind her back, Quinn smirked. "You lost it, or you noticed that Bailey had been chewing on it?" she asked.

Avery averted her eyes. "I was chewing on it," she said quietly. "Not Bailey."

Artie burst out laughing. "We'll get you some new socks later," he said. "And some more toys for Bailey, apparently..."

Avery and Quinn giggled.

"Ok," Quinn said. "But first...breakfast."

**A/N: So...this was just supposed to be a short chapter in between the first chapter and the more serious subject matter ahead...and then the cuteness got a bit out of hand.**

**Hope you enjoyed! **


	3. Chapter 3

"Maybe this is a bad idea," Artie said, shifting nervously in his chair. "Maybe we shouldn't have come."

Quinn placed her hand over his, which was tightly wrapped around the armrest of the chair she was sitting in. "Hey, it's going to be fine. Look at me."

He turned his face away.

She tried again. "Artie, look at me," she repeated, softly.

He turned back.

"Nothing's actually happening today," she said. "We're just going in there to talk. There's nothing to be worried about. We'll probably need to have some tests and stuff done first, right?"

He nodded, slightly. Their appointment was on Thursday, but he hadn't told her that he'd already been there on Tuesday to leave a sample so they could do some tests. At that moment...he thought maybe he should have said something.

When he'd phoned to make the appointment, they had asked what it was about, and after he'd muttered something the person on the phone had a hard time understanding, she asked him to come in a couple of days ahead of time so that they could run some tests before they talked to the doctor.

"Quinn, I-" he started to say, when a nurse appeared from behind the counter.

"Abrams?" she announced, shifting the file she was holding from one hand and smiling at them.

Artie waited for Quinn to stand up and follow the nurse, before wheeling along behind her. Once they were seated in Dr. Scott's office, waiting for him to come in, he tried to tell her again.

"I need to tell you something," he said. He was about to go on, when a door on the side of the room opened, and they were greeted by the smiling doctor's face.

Quinn looked at him with questioning eyes as the doctor sat down behind his desk.

After exchanging pleasantries, the doctor asked, "What can I do for you kids today?"

"We had talked a bit about this before," Artie started, as Quinn reached out and took his hand. "And we want to try to have another baby. We've been trying, but...I don't think we're going to get another miracle like Avery."

Dr. Scott nodded, shuffling some papers around on his desk. He was about to respond, when Quinn spoke up.

"We know there are different things we could try," she said, tightening her grasp on Artie's hand. "And we wanted to come see you so we could talk about some of our options. And so we can think about it."

The doctor nodded again. "There are several techniques that could be tried. I think we would probably start with intrauterine insemination," he said.

Artie stared at him. "Isn't that what they do to cows?" he blurted out, before his face turned a very dark shade of red. "I mean...Quinn, I don't think you're a cow..." he sputtered, "Go on, Dr. Scott."

Quinn couldn't help but grin at Artie's question. Only he would accidentally blurt something out at a moment like that.

"IUI involves inserting a catheter and injecting washed sperm directly into the uterus," Dr. Scott went on. "It would be covered by your insurance, and is generally the first thing that we'd try in a case like this."

Artie and Quinn nodded, and the doctor continued.

"Now, Artie, we've analysed the sample you gave us on Tuesday, and I will tell you that the...quality of the sample did leave something to be desired. The sample was small, and I'm afraid both the sperm count and motility were on the low side. It's not optimal for this procedure, but we could certainly try it."

"Sample?" Quinn asked, looking slightly confused. "What sample?"

"I was trying to tell you earlier," Artie said, quietly. "I came by on Tuesday and left a...sample, so they could do some tests before today."

Quinn nodded, not saying anything.

Dr. Scott went on. "Now, Artie, we could try some methods to assist you to achieve stronger e-"

Artie cut him off. "No, we are most definitely not doing that. I can do that fine on my own. I don't need 'methods.'"

"If we can obtain a larger sample," Dr. Scott continued, "Our chances of having this procedure be successful would be increased. Just something to think about."

Artie nodded. "And if that doesn't work, then what?" he asked, averting his eyes from Quinn's gaze. The last thing he needed was for her to know right then was that his equipment wasn't even firing strongly enough to provide a sample they could use.

"In vitro fertilization is another option," the doctor said. "However, the procedure is much more involved, and it is very expensive. It's not something that's usually covered by insurance."

Artie nodded.

They talked for a bit longer about the different options that were available, before Quinn glanced at the clock.

"I think Artie and I need to talk about this a bit more," Quinn said. "Dr. Scott, could we give you a call next week?"

The doctor nodded. "Of course. Can I answer any other questions for you today?"

Artie shook his head. "No thanks, Dr. Scott, I think we've got the information we came for."

As he made his way around the desk to show them to the door, the doctor shook Artie's hand, and placed a hand gently on Quinn's shoulder. "If you have any more questions, feel free to give me a call anytime."

"Thank you," Artie and Quinn said, as they moved out into the hallway.

"While we're out, we may as well stop and get some groceries," Quinn said, as they exited the clinic. "Is that ok?"

Shrugging slightly, Artie nodded. "We might as well," he said, approaching the van. "Yeah, let's do that."

* * *

><p>As they made their way up and down the aisles at the grocery store, Quinn watched Artie. He smiled whenever she looked at him, but the smile never quite reached his eyes. She knew he wasn't happy with the outcome of their appointment, and she hoped that he'd talk about it with her later, rather than keeping it to himself as he sometimes did.<p>

Once Quinn was satisfied that they had everything they needed (and some things they didn't, but Artie insisted were necessary), they paid for their purchases and loaded them into the van so they could head home.

* * *

><p>After Avery was in bed that night, and Quinn was finishing folding laundry, Artie decided to put away the groceries that didn't need to be refrigerated, as they'd elected to leave them until later so they could make dinner together.<p>

As he reached into one of the bags sitting on the floor, he felt his hand wrap around the handle on one of the large bottles of cranberry juice that Quinn had insisted they buy because "it was on sale and they went through a lot of it anyway."

Pulling the jug from the bag, he held it in his hands for a second before slamming it onto the table. Reaching back into the bag, he pulled out another, slamming it equally as hard or harder onto the wooden surface.

He repeated this, until all six bottles they'd purchased were lined up on the table. He kind of felt like they were mocking him and the current situation.

Hearing the noise in the kitchen, Quinn left their bedroom and walked down the hall.

"Babe," she said, as she came around the corner. "What are you doing? Avery is sleeping."

"I'm putting away the damned groceries," he muttered, turning slightly to glance at her over his shoulder. "What does it look like?"

Taken slightly aback by his reaction, Quinn walked closer, sitting down at the table beside him. "Hey," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What's going on? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Just putting away this juice. I was just lining them up...to make sure that we brought all of them home."

Deciding to ignore his slightly lame excuse, Quinn tried again. "Artie," she said quietly. "What's wrong?"

Tightening the grip he had on the last bottle, he said nothing.

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, before Artie relinquished the death grip he had on the bottle, and turned to her.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I'm just frustrated. And then the juice...it just sent me over the edge."

Quinn raised her eyes, a questioning look in them. "What?"

"The juice," he said, again. "It just reminds me how ridiculously inadequate I am. I have to drink the damned juice to ward off infection. Which is necessary because I have to cath. Which is necessary because my man parts don't work properly. Which is making it so we can't just have a baby like everyone else, because I apparently can't even provide a 'sample' that's large enough for them to do anything with without some sort of sick-sounding 'methods' to help with that. Which is making me angry, and upsetting you, which just makes me angrier. You and Avery deserve something better than what I have to offer," he finished quietly, looking down at his lap.

Quinn wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Hey," she said, softly. "You aren't inadequate. This might not be easy right now, but we'll do it together. And don't ever think that we deserve something better than you. There is nothing better than you for this family."

He turned slightly, so he was facing her, and she could see that his eyes were red, tears just below the surface.

"I'm sorry," he said, softly. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I'd been at the clinic a couple of days ago. I just thought that might make things go a little faster. If I'd have known what the outcome would be, I wouldn't have bothered. Maybe we should just find a sperm donor or something. Or we could adopt a baby."

Quinn shook her head. "We don't need to find a sperm donor," she said. "And Dr. Scott didn't say it wouldn't work, he just said it might take a little longer, and be a little harder. We're going to give it a try, and if we're meant to have another baby, we will."

She smiled softly, cupping his chin in her hand.

He smiled back, and reached out to take her hand. "And we'll do it together," he said.

Quinn nodded. "We'll do it together." As she leaned in to kiss him, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye.

"Avery?" she called, softly. "Are you up?"

"No," they heard a small voice whisper.

Artie's smile widened into a big grin. "Princess, when someone asks you if you're up, and you don't want them to know, you don't answer."

A sheepishly-smiling Avery emerged from behind the counter, clutching her favourite doll. "I heard banging, Daddy," she said. "And then you sounded mad. Are you mad?"

Artie held out his arms, and Avery climbed into his lap. "No, I'm not mad," he said. "It's ok."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him gently. "Are you sad, Daddy? Now that your face is close to mine, you look sad."

Hugging her back, Artie murmured something into her ear that Quinn couldn't quite make out. She leaned in, placing her free arm around Avery, and resting her head on Artie's shoulder.

After a couple of minutes of just sitting, Quinn straightened up. "Ok you two," she said, leaning back. "Why don't we go to bed?"

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Avery asked, turning to she could look at her mother.

After a brief glance at his wife, Artie said, "Of course you can. Let's go. We can finish this tomorrow."

As Artie made his way to the bedroom, Avery nestled snugly into his neck, Quinn shut off the kitchen lights and followed them down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

"Artie, I really think we need to talk about this stuff tonight," Quinn said, sitting down on their couch. "I don't think we want to have this discussion when Avery's around, and she won't be back from Puck and Rachel's for another couple of hours. When I phoned, Rachel said they were just getting started decorating their tiaras. Know Rachel, that's going to take a while."

Realizing that there was no way to avoid the conversation that had been hanging around, begging to be had, since their appointment the week before, Artie nodded, somewhat reluctantly, and prepared to transfer himself to the couch to sit beside her.

Quinn shifted the stack of pamphlets she was holding from one hand to the other, before placing them on the end table. "I've been reading those pamphlets we got from Dr. Scott, and I also printed some stuff I found online. "

He nodded, saying nothing.

"I know you'd rather not have this conversation right now," Quinn said, dryly. "I know you've been skirting around it and trying to avoid it since our appointment. And I know it makes you uncomfortable. But for the sake of this family, we need to. Unless you've changed your mind again and really don't want us to have another baby. If that's the case, though, I wish you'd just say it."

His face instantly filling with remorse, Artie turned to her. "No…don't think that. Don't ever think that," he said, quietly. "You know I hate talking about stuff like this when it pertains to me…it has nothing to do with you. And it has nothing to do with me not wanting us to have another baby. Because I want that more than I've possibly ever wanted anything. Ever."

"Ever?" Quinn asked, quietly.

He nodded. "Well…ever…except wanting to be with you, and wanting Avery, of course. I just figured that went without saying. There is nothing I have ever wanted more than this family."

Quinn leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. "Then…can we talk about this? We don't have to talk about everything right now, but could we at least start this conversation?"

He nodded again. "What do you think we should do?"

"I think we should try the IUI," she said. "Dr. Scott seemed to think that would be a good place to start. And it doesn't sound like there are too many risks, from what I've been reading. But I'm wondering if I should have some tests done to make sure I'm fertile enough before we do anything. What do you think?"

"Do you think that's necessary?" he asked. "I mean…do you have any idea how low the chances were of me EVER getting you pregnant without some sort of medical help? And then it happened. Despite the fact that, apparently, I can't even provide a 'sample' that's good enough for testing?"

"We should have asked Dr. Scott," she said, trying to distract Artie from the insecurities she knew were whirring around in his head. "I didn't even think about it while we were there. He would have said something, if he thought that were necessary, wouldn't he?"

"He was probably too busy thinking of weird things they could do to my junk so this might actually work," he said, a slightly bitter edge on his voice.

"Babe, you need to stop thinking about the possibility of getting some…assistance as them doing 'weird things to your junk.' If it's going to make it more likely that the end result of this is a baby…maybe you need to be open to letting them try that."

"It's just embarrassing," he muttered, quietly. "I mean…what kind of man am I, if I can't even do that? It's something that my body is supposed to do by itself…and it apparently can't handle it. I got over the fact that I'm never going to walk again a long time ago. I got over the fact that I can't go to the bathroom without the use of a little tube a long time ago. I got over the fact that there are 5900 things that could go wrong at some point in my life a long time ago. But this? This just makes me feel like I'm a total failure. I mean…I always knew this might be the case, but then Avery…and I just. I don't know. I hoped maybe everyone was wrong."

"You're not a failure," she said. "You're my husband, and Avery's dad, and we love you. And people need help with all sorts of things," she said. "What if it was me that needed help with…whatever?" she asked. "And I was embarrassed or ashamed. If you knew it was going to help, would you encourage me to go for it, or would you tell me that I don't need to do it, because it makes me uncomfortable?"

"I'd probably tell you to do it," he admitted. "If it was going to help."

She squeezed his hand.

"I guess I could talk to Dr. Scott about that," he said. "But only on one condition."

She glanced over at him, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Whatever needs to be done," he said, his eyes lighting up, "is going to end with me pulling a Liam Neeson and yelling, "RELEASE THE SPERM!"

Quinn burst out laughing. "Are we really having a serious discussion here, and you just slipped in that you want to treat your sperm like the Kraken?"

He nodded, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Sorry. You know I always feel the need to try and lighten the mood the moment anything uncomfortable is being talked about."

"Yeah," she said, grinning at him. "Now when I'm having this done all I'll be able to think about is that they're putting the Kraken into me…the way they do with cows."

His face reddened further. "I'm sorry about that. I just…it was the first thing that came to my mind, and then…I said it and immediately realized that it was stupid, but it was too late, and…I'm sorry. I don't think you're a cow. People think I'm an idiot, don't they?"

She giggled. "Well, I can't speak for people in general, but I think you're pretty cute," she said. "And I know Avery thinks she has the best and smartest Daddy ever. And Bailey likes you."

"Thanks," he said. "As long as you three love me…and my parents…I'm good to go, right?"

She nodded. "Definitely."

"Then I guess I'll give it a try," he said, biting his lip to prevent the large smile that was threatening to light up his face from surfacing. "As long as whatever they've got going on there makes me feel like a transformer."

Quinn raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, are you having something medical done, or writing a sci fi novel?"

"Um…a bit of both, maybe…" he said, breaking out into a wide grin. "You know…I like to keep all my options open."

Quinn rolled her eyes, and giggled. "But, seriously, though-Oh. Rachel is here. Maybe we should finish this tonight after Avery's in bed?"

He nodded. "Probably best. And…I know you won't, but please don't say anything to her about this. I don't want Puck to know about this right now. Or…anyone. Not because I'm embarrassed, but just because we don't really know what's going on."

She nodded, kissing him on the cheek before getting up. "I know, babe. I'm not talking about this with anyone…for now."

He smiled softly at her, as she went to the door to greet their daughter. He made a mental note to be the one to resume the conversation that evening when they were in bed. The last thing he wanted was for Quinn to think that he didn't want them to have another baby. He just wanted whatever would make her happy.

* * *

><p>"So…" Artie said that evening, as they were nestled into bed together. "We're going to do this. Right?"<p>

Quinn nodded, resting her head on his chest. "We are."

"And what if it doesn't work?" he said. "I mean…I know that probably wasn't the best way to restart the conversation, and we should be positive about the whole thing, and I really am…but I'm also realistic. What are we going to do if this doesn't work?"

Quinn raised her head, turning to face him. "Well, it looks like they can do this more than once. And it's not really that invasive, so that means it would be probably be safe, right? And then eventually it would hopefully work?"

"And what if it doesn't?" he asked, quietly. "What if they do it a bunch of times and it doesn't work? Or what if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing's going to go wrong," she assured him softly. "And if it doesn't work…well, then I guess we go from there. Dr. Scott had mentioned the IVF…maybe that would be an option for us? I have some information on that, too. And there are other things we could try, too."

"But that has so many more risks," he said, quietly. "And I don't want anything to happen to you."

"But Artie, people have that done all the time, and they're fine," she said. "Actually, to be perfectly honest, I'm less worried about the risks, and more worried about the costs associated with that. From what I can figure out here, it is _really_ expensive. And I doubt our insurance would cover it. Or…I know they won't, because I phoned them this morning while you were in the shower."

"Well," he said, attempting to steer the conversation away from that, "Hopefully we won't need that. And if we do…then we'll deal with it when we get there. Right?"

She murmured in agreement, pulling the quilt closer to their faces. "Thank you," she said, quietly, wrapping her arm tighter around his midsection.

"Thank you for what?" he asked, just as quietly.

"For talking about this. For being willing to try things that I know make you uncomfortable. And for just being you. The sweetest, best man in the world. Whatever happens here, we're going to deal with it, and it's going to be just fine. Ok?"

"Ok," he whispered, pulling her closer. "I love you."

"I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

The day had finally arrived. Two weeks after their initial visit, Quinn and Artie had phoned and set an appointment for them to have the IUI procedure done.

Quinn had been charting her monthly cycles for the past year in their efforts to get pregnant naturally, and they were glad they had that information when they decided it was time for them to seek some assistance.

Artie, while still slightly apprehensive about the whole thing, had agreed to getting some help to make sure that the people at the clinic had what he liked to call, "the best quality specimen of his manhood" possible.

That morning, they dropped Avery off at Rachel and Puck's, with plans to pick her up when they were done. Quinn and Artie hadn't discussed what they were doing with anyone, but had simply told Rachel that they had a medical appointment to attend. Rachel had assumed it was for Artie, and Quinn hadn't tried to convince her otherwise. They would talk about it with them eventually, but it wasn't something they were ready to do yet. And she hadn't exactly lied…the appointment was for Artie…and also for her.

As they pulled into a parking spot near the door of the clinic, Artie looked over at Quinn.

"Are you ready?" he asked, softly, taking her hand.

She nodded, a small grin on her face. "I am. Are you?"

He nodded as well. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he said. "Shall we?"

* * *

><p>Shortly after they were asked to be seated, a nurse came and got Artie. After what seemed like forever (to both Quinn and Artie), he returned, his face slightly red.<p>

"Everything ok?" Quinn asked, quietly.

He nodded. "Um…yes. I think so."

"Did they…" she trailed off.

He nodded. "I'd appreciate it if we don't talk about this now," he said quietly, his face turning a deeper shade of red. "Or, you know…ever."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, before Artie spoke again.

"That nurse had zero sense of humour," he said, grinning slightly at Quinn. "But then, I guess if I did…that all day, I wouldn't have much of one either."

Quinn giggled. "I take it you didn't get to say what you wanted to?"

He shook his head. "Yeah…not so much. I made one little joke when I got in there, and she looked like she wanted to snap me in half…and she probably could have. Once we'd started…well, I wasn't about to risk making her mad when I was in such an, um…compromising position. I wasn't about to risk the future of our babies for that. Or, you know…the future of us having ANY intimacy…ever again."

Quinn burst out laughing. "Only you would find humour in something like this," she said.

"You know I can find humour in just about anything," he said, holding her hand. "But humour aside, I'm still mortified at the fact that that was even necessary," he added quietly.

She squeezed his hand tightly. "I know," she said. "Artie, thank you."

"Thank you for what?" he asked, quietly, the smile that had been on his face seconds before faded to a look of sombre annoyance, mostly with himself. "Thank you for my being the reason we're here in the first place? Thank you for my not being able to reproduce like a normal human being? Thank you for failing at one of the most basic functions ever?"

"Artie…," she said, quietly. "No. None of that. Thank you for being you. And for being amazing. And for being the best husband ever, the best father ever…the best everything ever."

He blushed. "I'm really not the best everything ever," he said. "I mean…your pancakes are way better than mine. Even Avery says so, and she thinks Daddy's pretty much the best cook ever."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling. "Well," she said, "I think you're the best at everything except making pancakes then."

"This would be the perfect time for me to say something about how my pancakes don't rise because they need some help with that and isn't that funny because of where we are, but due to the experience that I JUST had…I won't be making any jokes like that for a while. Promise."

She giggled. "I'm not even sure if that entirely makes sense," she said. "But I love it."

After a few minutes, a nurse came out a side door and let them know that they'd be ready for them in about fifteen minutes.

While they waited, Quinn ran her hand gently through Artie's hair, and Artie sat wringing his hands in his lap.

"Nervous?" she asked, softly.

He nodded. "Yeah, a little. I just don't want this to hurt you."

"It won't," she assured him. "Dr. Scott said it might be a little uncomfortable while they're doing it, but it's not really that invasive, and he said the risks are really low."

"Not invasive?" he said. "Quinn…they're sticking something up there and injecting my…manly essence in there. How is that not invasive?"

"Artie, think about that for a minute…exactly how you described it."

"I…Oh," he said, averting his eyes. "Um…never mind. What I MEANT was…they're sticking a plastic thing up there. No, that's no better. I'm just going to quit while I'm ahead here…" he trailed off. "Sorry. Could you hand me that shovel, please? I'd like to dig myself in a little deeper. I don't know what's going on here, but I just can't stop talking. I'm sorry. I can't stop talking!"

She giggled. "You do have a tendency to do that when you're nervous," she said. "Just, please…no cow comments, ok?"

He covered his eyes with his hand. "You should have brought duct tape. You'd have plastered it over my mouth by now, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Or any conversation. That would be kind of boring. Wouldn't it?"

She was about to respond, when the side door opened again.

"Quinn, Artie," Dr. Scott said, stepping out into the waiting area. "We're ready if you are."

Quinn smiled at the doctor, standing up. "We are."

* * *

><p>As they got Quinn settled, Dr. Scott pulled out their chart.<p>

"Artie, I'm happy to report that the specimen you provided today was of a much higher quality than the one you provided a couple of weeks ago. The motility is still not as good as we'd hope for, but we'll work with what we've got, and I have seen positive results in situations where we had less to work with than what we've got here."

Artie nodded. "And you're sure this isn't dangerous?" he asked. "For Quinn?"

"It's a very low risk procedure," the doctor reassured Artie. "It'll be just fine. No need to worry."

"We're ready, doctor," the petite, dark-haired nurse said, from beside where they'd situated Quinn.

The doctor moved around to Quinn, while Artie wheeled himself in next to her head. He reached out, taking her hand gently in his.

Leaning over, so he could see her face better, he grinned at her. "You ok?"

She nodded at him. "I am."

Quinn looked up at the doctor, nodding her head to let him know that she was good to go.

* * *

><p>After the procedure, Quinn had stayed lying down in the room for a while, as Dr. Scott had said that would increase their chances of success. She and Artie chatted quietly about all sorts of things until a nurse came in and let them know that it would be alright for them to leave.<p>

As they drove home, Artie looked over, and noticed Quinn leaning her head heavily against the doorframe.

"You ok?" he asked, quietly. "Feeling ok, and stuff?"

She nodded. "I'm ok…just tired."

"You should lie down when we get home," Artie said. "You know…just in case that makes it work better. And so you can get some rest. Avery and I can fend for ourselves tonight."

"I'll be ok," she said. "I don't need to lie down."

"Didn't you tell me the other day that if the roles were reversed, and you needed to do something, I would tell you to do it?" he said, grinning at her. "Well, we're having that now. We're going home. And you're going to lie down. And Avery and I are going to make you some food, which we're going to bring to you if you're awake, and then we're going to park ourselves on the couch and watch a movie, while you take it easy and sleep. Or read. Or do whatever you want."

"Well," she said, "I can't argue with that."

"Nope," he said, as they pulled into the driveway. "You can't. Because I AM the law, woman!"

She giggled.

"And," he went on, "If you give me a few minutes to get out of here…I'll even carry you into the house and deposit you directly into bed."

Once Artie was out of the van, he held out his arms, and Quinn gently lowered herself into his lap.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear, as he closed the door and set off down the hall.

"Love you too," she whispered sleepily, as he approached the bed. "You're right…maybe I need some sleep. Can you call Rachel and let her know we're home, and ask her if she can drop off Avery?"

He nodded, as Quinn changed and got into bed. "I'm on it," he said, waiting for her to settle herself in the bed, before smoothing the covers gently around her. "Get some rest, ok?"

Quinn nodded, drifting off to sleep almost immediately.

* * *

><p>Rachel and Ella showed up with Avery about fifteen minutes after Artie called her. After Artie assured her that everything was fine, and that Quinn was just having a nap, she left, giving him instructions to get Quinn to please call her later that evening or the next day.<p>

Once he'd closed the door, Artie turned to Avery. "Good day today, princess?" he asked.

"Yes!" she said, jumping up and down a bit. "We had lunch, and played Barbies, and Aunty Rachel took us to the store with her to buy food, and we were good and walked around with her holding onto the cart so we wouldn't get lost. Then we went back to Ella's house, and played some more Barbies, and had a snack, and watched tv and ran around outside and then I came home."

"Sounds like a busy day!" he said, as they headed for the living room.

She nodded. "Where's Mommy?"

"She's just having a nap," he said. "She's pretty tired…so it's just you and me tonight. And Bailey."

"Is Mommy ok?" Avery asked, biting her lip and looking concerned. "Is she sick?"

"Oh, sweetie," Artie said, as Avery crawled up into his lap. "She's ok, just tired. Don't worry."

"Ok," the little girl said, wrapping her arms around Artie's neck. "Can we still do something fun if Mommy isn't here?"

"We can do whatever you want," he said. "But we do need to eat something at some point, and we should also make food for Mommy if she wakes up."

"Can we have grilled cheese?" Avery asked. "And can you make mine like a dinosaur?"

Artie grinned. "I think that can be arranged. What do you want with it?"

Avery thought for a minute. "Can I have ice cream?"

Chuckling, Artie turned and wheeled them in the direction of the kitchen. "I think ice cream might be in order later," he said. "But what about a vegetable or fruit or something to go with your dinosaur?"

"Can I have marshmallows?" she asked.

"You can have one with your ice cream," he said, biting back his laughter. "But what about a vegetable, or fruit? Carrot sticks? Apple? Tomato? Celery?"

"Celery!" she said. "Can I help? Can we make Mommy one?"

"I think you can help," he said. "And grilled cheese isn't really something that we can keep until she wakes up, but why don't we get one ready, and then we can cook it for her when she's awake?"

Satisfied by that, Avery went over to the fridge. She pulled open the door, and started digging around on the bottom shelf. "Daddy, there isn't any celery," she said.

He wheeled over beside her, pulling the pale green vegetable out of the drawer. "Here's some," he said.

The little girl shook her head. "No, I want celery, not that!" she said. "Celery!"

"What does celery look like?" he asked, putting it back into the drawer.

"You know," she said. "Little trees, Daddy!"

"You mean broccoli?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Oh. I want that! I thought that was celery." she said. "But we haven't got some. I'll just have carrots," she added.

As Artie prepared dinner, cutting Avery's sandwich in the shape of a dinosaur with a cookie cutter, Avery sat at on a stool beside him watching.

"Daddy, you make the best sandwiches ever," she said, patting him on the arm. "Bailey and I reallyreallyreally like them."

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Have you been giving Bailey your sandwiches?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Just by accident," she said quickly. "I went to the bathroom, and he ate it once. That happened three times. He just really likes food, Daddy."

"Just don't give him too much," he said, flipping over their sandwiches in the pan. "It's not good for him."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I won't. Can we watch Mulan tonight, Daddy?"

"We could do that," he said. "Dinner picnic in the living room?"

"Yaaaaaay!" Avery said. "My favourite!"

Once everything was ready, Artie placed it all on a tray, and they headed for the living room. He put the tray down on the coffee table, and then went over to the shelf of DVDs to get Mulan. Once it was in the DVD player, he went back over to the couch, and transferred himself onto it.

Before Artie was fully settled on the couch, Avery was already sitting in his lap, a carrot stick in her hand.

He reached over, grabbing the plate that held both their sandwiches, and held it in front of them.

"Daddy," Avery said, when she was almost finished her sandwich. "Can Bailey have the tail?"

He glanced down at the plate, where she'd left the small piece of sandwich. "I guess so," he said. "As long as you tell Bailey that this can't happen all the time."

"Bailey!" she called, as the dog came trotting over, a happy look on his face. "You can have the tail, but Daddy says you can't have lots of my food anymore."

Artie grinned, deciding not to comment on the fact that Avery had, apparently, been giving the dog lots of her food.

After they'd finished eating, Avery laid down on top of Artie, and pulled down a blanket from the back of the couch, covering the two of them with it.

By the time the movie was over, the two of them were almost asleep, snuggled warmly beneath the blanket. As the credits rolled, Avery sat up. "Daddy, it's time for you to move," she said. "Mommy says it's not good for you to not move for a long time, because you could get sick."

Artie smiled softly. "It's ok, princess. It hasn't been that long. But I do think it's time to get you to bed. What do you say?"

She nodded. "I'm so tired, Daddy. Can we go check on Mommy first?"

He nodded, pulling himself into a sitting position. "I think we can do that, if we're quiet," he said.

"Oh!" Avery said. "We didn't have ice cream! Can we have it tomorrow?"

He nodded again. "Of course," he said.

Once he was back in his chair, they headed down the hall. Avery quietly opened the door to their bedroom, and peeked inside.

"I think Mommy is sleeping," she whispered. "I hear snoring."

Artie grinned. If Quinn were awake, she would have been denying that she snored.

"Why don't we get you to bed," he said. "And you can come check on Mommy in the morning when she's awake?"

Satisfied with this, the little girl nodded.

As Artie tucked Avery (and Bailey) into bed, she got up on her knees to give him a kiss.

"Good night, Daddy," she said, crawling back under the covers. "Kiss Mommy good night for me too, ok?"

"Ok, princess," he said. "I'll do that as soon as I'm in bed."

* * *

><p>As Artie settled himself quietly in the bed, careful not to wake Quinn, he looked over at her face, gently nestled in the pillows, and prayed that the procedure they'd had done that day had worked.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

The couple of weeks after they'd had the procedure done passed quickly.

Artie kept an eye on Quinn, looking for changes of any sort, or indicators that something had or hadn't worked.

Quinn kept an eye on Artie, because she knew he was keeping an eye on her. And she knew he worried about everything.

Avery kept an eye on both of them, because she loved her parents, and just wanted everyone to be happy all the time…which they were, for the most part.

And Bailey kept an eye on Avery, because she continued to slip him food, despite Artie's instructions not to.

That Saturday morning, Quinn woke up before Artie, like she usually did. He was generally up early as part of his daily routine, and after being together as long as they had been, her body knew when he got up, and she usually woke up about fifteen minutes before he did.

She rolled over, and was met by half of Artie's face…the other half was buried in his pillow. He was snoring quietly, and looked so peaceful. She smiled softly, before getting up and heading into the bathroom adjoining their bedroom.

* * *

><p>When Artie woke up, he reached out, expecting to find Quinn lying beside him, as she usually was on Saturday mornings. When his hand failed to find the warm, soft skin it expected, he reached over to his nightstand, grabbing his glasses, and placing them on his face.<p>

Looking around, he noticed the bathroom door slightly ajar.

"Quinn?" he called out, softly. "Are you in here?"

Silence.

He tried again. "Quinn?" he called out, a little louder, preparing to transfer to his chair. "Babe?"

Once he was in his chair, he wheeled towards the door, knocking softly once he reached it. When Quinn still gave no response, he began to get worried, and pushed against the door, opening it wider. He looked inside, and saw Quinn sitting on the side of the bathtub, a pile of Kleenex in her lap.

"Hey," he said, quietly, crossing the short distance between them. "What's wrong?"

"It didn't work," she whispered. "Artie, it didn't work." Once she finished speaking, she burst into tears. "I've been waiting, and waiting," she sobbed, "And I thought maybe it had worked, because nothing was happening when it should have been. And now…" she trailed off.

"Quinn, I'm sorry," he said softly, after taking a minute to process the information he'd just been given. "It's my fault. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry I can't give you what you deserve."

"It's not your fault," she said. "You can't think like that," she added, standing up and sitting gently in his lap. "We're going to try again, right? I mean…we tried it once, and it didn't work…Dr. Scott said that happens all the time."

"It is my fault," he said. "You know it is. And if it didn't work this time, it's not going to work next time either."

Quinn shook her head. "You have to stop thinking like that," she said. "It's not your fault. It's a medical thing…those aren't anybody's fault. Not in situations like this. We can't give up, just because it didn't work the first time. Artie, we have to keep trying."

He nodded, casting his eyes downward. "I just don't like to see you upset like that," he murmured. "It breaks my heart, because I know I'm the reason you're crying."

"Hey," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's ok. And you have to stop thinking that you're personally responsible for this not working. We knew it might not work, but we had to try. And we have to try again. And I know you don't like it when I'm upset…but we're going to try again, and if it's meant to be, it's going to work."

"Ok," he said. "We're going to try again. Do you want me to call Dr. Scott on Monday?"

"I'll do it," she said. "But right now, we'd better get out there…I think I hear Avery and Bailey."

At the mention of their daughter, Artie smiled. "She said last night that this morning she was going to wake up before we did, and make breakfast by herself. I put her cereal on the table, and told her not to touch the fridge until we're up, and not to touch the stove at all."

Quinn grinned. "Did you put a bowl there, too? She's probably eating straight out of the box."

He chuckled. "She's not an animal," he said. "She knows about bowls and stuff."

"Artie, I saw you eating out of the cereal box yesterday morning," she said. "Does that mean you're an animal who doesn't know about bowls?"

"I didn't see any point in unnecessarily dirtying any dishes," he said. "I was eating it dry anyway. A bowl would just have been redundant. Plus, I was in a hurry, woman! I had to grab a handful and go!"

"Sure you were," she said, getting up off his lap and heading toward the door. "You were in a hurry to park yourself on the couch for a marathon of Disney movies."

He grinned, following her out the door. "I promised we'd watch all the Aladdin movies. We had to get started, or Avery would have been in bed too late!"

Quinn rolled her eyes, stifling a grin. "I see."

"Serious business, yo!" he said, his grin widening even further. "Clearly you've never seen the princess when she doesn't get to finish the movie before bed!"

She giggled. "Ok, fine. I will admit…that is a horrific ordeal when that happens. We'd better get out there now."

As they approached the kitchen, Quinn motioned for Artie to be quiet. They peered around the corner, and smiled at what they saw. Avery was sitting at the table, a small pile of cereal in front of her. She was eating the cheerios individually, occasionally giving Bailey one, and humming what Artie was pretty sure was _Colours of the Wind_, from Pocahontas, which he suspected they'd end up watching later in the day.

Quinn held her finger over her lips, retreating down the hall to grab her camera from their bedroom. The first shot went unnoticed, and the second featured Avery giving them her biggest smile ever, before she jumped down off the chair, and flung herself into her father's lap.

"Daddy, you were taking too long!" she said. "Me and Bailey had to get started. I mean…I had to get started. Bailey was just protecting me. Can we have bacon, Mommy?"

Quinn snapped a picture of her little family, before putting her camera down on the counter. "Bacon?" she said. "I think that can be arranged. Do you want eggs, or pancakes?"

"PANCAKES!" Avery shouted, before realizing that her face was less than a foot from Artie's ear. "Sorry, Daddy," she said. "I didn't mean to yell in your ear. But can we have pancakes? And can Mommy make them? She makes them nicer."

Artie gasped, a look of shock on his face. "What do you mean she makes them nicer? My pancakes are like works of art!"

Avery giggled. "Last time you burned them, Daddy, and they tasted like old socks. But I eated them anyways, because I love you."

"Hold up," he said. "How do you know what old socks taste like?"

Avery giggled.

"But seriously, princess," he went on. "If they were that bad, you didn't have to eat them. And I love you too."

She grinned, throwing her arms around Artie's neck and planting a kiss on his cheek, before hopping down off his lap and running over to the counter, where she wrapped herself around Quinn's legs. "I love you too, Mommy," she said. "You're the best mommy ever, and you make the bestest pancakes ever!"

Quinn smiled, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "I love you too, sweetie," she said. "Why don't you and Daddy set the table while I get the food ready?"

As Avery headed over to the cabinet to pull out some plates, Quinn glanced over at Artie. His eyes met her, and he smiled softly, nodding at her. She'd make the call to Dr. Scott on Monday, and they would try again.

* * *

><p>After breakfast, Quinn announced that she needed to run to the store to grab something she was missing for dinner, and Avery promptly suggested that she go along to help.<p>

Once they'd pulled out of the driveway, Artie took Bailey out to the back yard, and threw his ball for him a few times.

As he threw the ball, and watched Bailey happily chase after it, he thought about the events that had occurred earlier in the day.

Part of him had known that there was a good chance the procedure wouldn't work. He knew that the quality of his sperm was terrible, from what Dr. Scott had said, and he doubted they'd ever be able to make it to a place that could get Quinn pregnant.

When she'd become pregnant with Avery, he couldn't believe it. He'd always been told the chances of him being able to get someone pregnant without some sort of medical intervention were slim, and then it had happened, and he'd been so overjoyed at the fact that he'd been able to give Quinn a baby.

The voice in the back of his mind told him that it was not likely to happen again, but he'd pushed that out of his mind. They were so happy, and he had hoped to be able to be able to get Quinn pregnant again, if that was what they decided they wanted to do.

They'd tried for so long, and it had never worked. He'd been thinking about getting help for months, but had held off in discussing it with her at first, because, to him, it felt like the ultimate failure on his behalf. He was supposed to be able to get her pregnant on demand, in his mind, and when that had hadn't worked, he'd been devastated. He'd never let her know just how much it had affected him, but he suspected that she knew.

Then, it had taken him so long to convince himself that they should get help, and they did…and that hadn't worked either.

He wanted them to try again, but at the same time…he wondered if there was any point. If his sperm couldn't get there alone the first time…what were the odds of one of them making it the second time? Or the third time? Or the tenth time? And how many times could they try that before Quinn got frustrated and gave up on it.

And what if she gave up on him? What if she got tired of being with someone who couldn't give her what she wanted? What if she got tired of being with someone who was broken? What if she decided she and Avery were better off without him?

He didn't think she'd ever think that, but the little voice in the back of his mind kept prodding. It kept telling him that he wasn't good enough. That he should be able to provide for her. That he should be able to do whatever his family needed or wanted him to do. That the fact that he couldn't always do that was letting his family down.

Whenever there was something he couldn't do for Avery, or for Quinn, or whenever there was something he thought he should be able to do by himself and ended up needing some sort of help, he got frustrated. And angry with himself for not being able to do whatever it was. He'd been paralyzed for close to 20 years, but that frustration, and that anger with himself, never really went away, even if he didn't talk about it or let Quinn know just how much it bothered him.

As his thoughts began to get darker and darker, he continued to throw the ball for Bailey, a little harder and more erratically each time, until the dog was charging the full length of their yard with every throw, in every direction.

If it was so difficult for his sperm to get there this time, how had it worked last time? How had that ever worked? Was that even possible?

The thought that came into his mind after that snapped him out of what was going on in his mind. No. That wasn't even a possibility. They'd just been extremely lucky. Flukes like that could happen anytime. There was no way anything had gone on there that he didn't know about. There was no way Quinn would have done that to him, ever. And Avery looked like a female version of himself when he was that age.

There was no way anyone other than him was her father.

They'd been lucky. And maybe they would be again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am completely overwhelmed by the love this story has been getting. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

Their second visit, Quinn watched Artie even more closely than at the first one. The day they'd found out it hadn't worked, she and Avery had come home from grocery shopping, to find him in the back yard, head in his hands, shoulders slumped, with Bailey sitting patiently beside him.

Choosing not to let him know that she'd seen him looking so clearly defeated, she was extra noisy putting away the groceries, so that either he or Bailey would hear her through the open window.

He'd come inside a couple of minutes later, wearing a big smile that Quinn thought looked almost pained, but she didn't say anything then, either.

Seconds after he'd closed the door, Avery was in his lap, and his smile turned soft and happy. Quinn was glad at the fact that their little girl could bring him out of even the deepest funk. She hoped that would continue to be the case, if the procedure failed again. He hadn't reacted to the news quite as harshly as she'd expected (in front of her, at least), and she was wondering if there was something brewing just under the surface that was going to erupt if it didn't work the second time around.

After Artie returned from the little room off to the side without comment, they sat in silence, waiting for their name to be called.

Eventually, Artie reached over, gently grasping her hand, and began softly running his thumb across her knuckles.

"Are you ok?" he asked, quietly.

She nodded. "Are you?"

He shrugged. "I guess so. I just really need this to work this time…I don't know if I can handle doing this several more times. The build-up, and the waiting, and then it doesn't work…" he trailed off. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," she said, turning a bit so she was facing him. "Artie, you have to stop apologizing for things you have no control over. If it's supposed to work, it will. And if not? We'll try something else."

He nodded, looking down at his lap. "I just can't believe we have to do this in the first place," he muttered.

She sat back against the backrest of her chair, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok," she said. "Because we're doing it together."

* * *

><p>After what seemed like hours, their name was called, and Quinn and Artie were escorted to the same room they'd been in the first time.<p>

When Dr. Scott entered, Artie muttered a greeting, averting his eyes.

The doctor, well aware of what was running through Artie's mind, smiled and greeted them warmly.

"Are we ready?" he asked, after they'd talked for a bit. He wanted to make sure that both Quinn and Artie were comfortable with what was going on, although he suspected that Quinn wasn't the one he had to worry about.

During the procedure, Artie sat, holding Quinn's hand without comment. When they were finished, he thanked the doctor, and sat quietly beside her until a nurse told them they could leave.

* * *

><p>As they headed for the van, Quinn placed a hand gently on his shoulder. He stopped, turning his head and looking up.<p>

"What?" he asked, looking worried. "Are you ok? Do we need to go back in? Do you need to sit down?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine," she said. "But you're not. Are you?"

"Of course I am," he said, smiling at her. "It's you I'm concerned about. I'm fine."

"Artie," she said. "I know you. I know what you're like when you're fine, and I know what you're like when you're not. And right now…you're not."

He shrugged. "I said I'm fine. We need to get you home so you can rest," he said, placing a gloved hand over hers, which was still on his shoulder. "If this is going to work, you should be lying down. So they can get there better."

Quinn smiled, deciding to let it go for the moment. There would be lots of time for them to talk later.

"We'd better get home then," she said. "And we can lie down together and watch a movie or something."

He grinned. "That sounds like a plan," he said, moving his hands down and propelling himself towards their vehicle. "We just can't forget to phone Avery. I know her sleepover with Aunty Linds is something she's been looking forward to for days, and we'll probably just be interrupting their fun…but I still want to call her."

Quinn giggled, as she got into the van. "She was so cute this morning," she said. "She kept talking about her sleepover with Aunty Linds, and then she'd add 'and Grandma and Grandpa' as an afterthought because she didn't want to hurt their feelings. I told her that everyone knew it was going to be girls night for the two of them, and that no one's feelings would be hurt."

He laughed, turning the key in the ignition. "I know. She was telling me about how she and Aunty Linds were going to do this, and that, and then they would go in the living room so she could cuddle with Grandma and Grandpa, so they wouldn't be sad," he said. "Then she asked if next time she could have a sleepover with them. I said sure…didn't really see any point in explaining that they all live in the same house and it's really a sleepover with everyone. And even if she goes for what she views as a sleepover with them, everyone knows she'll end up in bed with Linds anyway."

"Did you tell Linds what was going on?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, she just happened to suggest they have a sleepover today because it's a Friday," he said. "Actually…I haven't told anyone what's going on. Not even my parents."

"Maybe you should talk to them about it," Quinn suggested. "They should probably find out sooner rather than later."

"I am not having that conversation with my dad," he said, as he turned onto their road.

"Artie, he's your dad," she said. "I'm pretty sure he's known that there would be a possibility that something like this might be necessary this longer than you have."

He pulled into the driveway, pushing the button on the garage door remote. "I don't care," he muttered. "I am not having a conversation with my dad about how my junk doesn't work," he added. "Could you imagine if this somehow got back to Michael? I'm not having a conversation about that with anyone."

"You have to talk about this with someone," she said, quietly. "You know you can always talk to me, but if you feel like you can't, then you need to find someone else to talk to about it. You can't just keep bottling it up inside, Artie."

"I don't feel like I can't talk to you," he said. "I don't want you to think that. You don't think that, do you? I just don't want you to be worried, or upset, and I don't want you to have to think about the stuff I'm thinking about. "

She nodded. She didn't really want to accept that answer, but she also didn't want to push him, because it was clear that he didn't want to discuss it further.

"You could talk to your mom," she said, as she reached down to grasp the hand he was offering to help her out of the van.

He nodded. "I might. But not right now, because we're going into the house so you can lie down. You can have either me or Bailey in the bed with you…your choice."

She grinned. "Can I have both?" she asked. "I've never once regretted that we splurged on a king-sized bed."

He grinned back. "You can have whatever you want," he said. "But we may have to wash the bedding tomorrow…Bailey is overdue for a bath."

Quinn giggled, as they headed into the house and down the hall. The dog came bounding towards them, and was in the bed before Quinn was.

"Is he on my pillow?" Artie asked, coming out of the bathroom. "Seriously, Bailey?"

Quinn laughed. "He looked sad," she said. "Isn't that what you and Avery always say?"

Artie chuckled. "Well, if he looked sad…" he said. "But seriously, Bailey, move down. You know I love cuddling you, but I need to cuddle my wife right now."

The lab's big, brown eyes stared up at him from his place on Artie's side of the bed.

"Oh, want to play that game, do you?" Artie said, raising an eyebrow. "Because I'm pretty sure I can out-sad you, and then Quinn will make you move."

"I don't know," Quinn said, studying the pair. "I think Bailey's eyes are sadder than yours," she added. "You kind of look like you're trying not to laugh."

He burst out laughing. "Ok, fine," he said. "Time for plan B."

Quinn watched as he opened his nightstand, rummaged around, and pulled out a dog treat.

"You keep dog treats in there?" she asked, a shocked look on her face. "Don't you keep medication and stuff in there? Is that sanitary?"

"They're in a bag, woman," he muttered, wheeling down to the bottom of the bed and patting it so the dog would move down. "It's not like they're just loose in there among the muscle relaxants and antihistamines. Which, for the record…are also in containers."

Quinn giggled, rolling over onto her side and regarding him as he transferred to the bed beside her. "Haven't you ever noticed that the bag never gets empty?" she asked. "Who do you think refills it?"

He grinned, his cheeks reddening slightly. "Well, in my mind the dog biscuit fairies do," he said, quietly.

She giggled again. "You just keep believing that, then," she said, moving over so she was closer to him. "So what did you have in mind for now?"

He wrapped his arm around her, and she placed her head on his shoulder. "Well," he said. "I thought maybe we'd lie here a bit, turn on the tv, not actually watch it, and eventually you'd fall asleep because you need to rest and I'd go let the dog out, stuff my face, bring you some food, and then lock up and come back to bed. Oh, and we should probably call Avery."

Quinn laughed. "That's quite the plan you've got there," she said, resting her head heavily against him. "Except I don't know if I can stay awake until I'm scheduled to fall asleep."

He smiled. "Then sleep now," he said. "The schedule is flexible."

Ten minutes later, Quinn was sound asleep, and fifteen minutes after that, she'd rolled over onto her other side, freeing his arm. He debated staying in bed, before deciding he'd better get up and go phone Avery, before it was too late. He didn't think Quinn would mind him phoning without her. They'd be seeing her in the morning when Linds dropped her off on her way to work.

* * *

><p>"And then we played outside, and Aunty Linds painted my nails pink, and she did my hair and we went to the store," Avery rattled off, as Artie listened to her over the phone, grinning at the excitement in her voice.<p>

"That's great, princess," he said. "What are you guys up to now?"

"We just ate dinner," she continued, "And Grandma let me pick what was on the pizza, and we had mushrooms and pineapple and lots of cheese! Oh! I have to go! Aunty Linds just said that we can watch a movie before we go to bed, Daddy! Is it ok if I go?"

"Of course," he said.

"Here's Grandma," the little girl said. "Goodnight, Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you too, princess," he said. "And so does Mommy. Good night!"

There was a clattering on the phone, before Artie heard his mother's voice over the line.

"Did she drop the phone?" he asked. "Or throw it?"

"The second one," Beth said, chuckling. "She was in a hurry, and thought she'd just throw it in my general direction. Hi, sweetie."

"Hi Mom," he said, grinning to himself.

"What did you guys do today?" she asked, and he could hear her moving around what he assumed was the living room.

"Oh, you know…" he trailed off. "Stuff."

"Stuff?" she asked. "What does that mean?"

"Just stuff," he said.

"Artie," Beth said, quietly. "I've known you long enough to know that when you say 'stuff' you really mean 'something I don't want to talk about.' What's going on?"

"Are you alone?" he asked, quietly. "I don't want Dad to know about this."

"I am," she said. "He's over helping Grandpa with a few things, and then I suspect they're going to end up watching sports on tv, so he won't be here for a while. What's up?"

"We're trying to have another baby," he muttered.

"What was that, honey?" she asked. "I couldn't quite hear you."

He cleared his throat. "Um…we're trying to have another baby," he said again, louder. "We've been going to Dr. Scott to get some, you know…don't tell Dad, ok?"

"Oh, sweetie," she said, wishing he were there with her so she could wrap her arms around him. "How long has this been going on? Why didn't you tell me? Why don't you want Dad to know?"

"We got some help last month," he said, softly. "But it didn't work. So we went again today. And I didn't tell you because…" he trailed off, mumbling something he knew she couldn't hear.

"Artie?" she said, softly. "Sweetie, you have to talk louder," she added, knowing full well that he'd mumbled so she couldn't hear him.

"I didn't want you to know that I'm not even capable of giving Quinn another baby without getting help," he muttered. "And I don't want Dad to know that we're getting help to try and get pregnant again. And I really don't want Michael to know. Or Linds. Or…anyone, actually."

"Honey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," she said, quietly. "There's nothing you can do about this."

"I just feel like a massive failure," he said, realizing that Quinn was right, and that maybe talking about it with someone other than her would help. "I won't go into detail about what went on in there," he said, "But apparently my body can't even perform the most basic of physical actions required to get Quinn pregnant without getting some weird help," he finished, quietly. "So much for not going into detail," he added, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sweetie, listen to me," Beth said, her voice laced with concern. "You can't think like that. Nothing about this is your fault. And just because you guys have to do some things differently, doesn't mean that you're a failure, or that you're not giving Quinn what you think she deserves, or anything like that. And she knows that," she added. "I know she doesn't think these things."

"She says she doesn't," he muttered. "But what if she does? Mom, you didn't see her face when she told me it didn't work the first time. She looked so upset, and disappointed. And it's my fault."

"Did she say she thinks it's your fault?" she asked.

"Of course not," he said. "She said nothing is my fault, that it's a medical thing, and that we're going to try until it works. But what if it doesn't? What if it is my fault?"

"Honey, you have to stop thinking like that," Beth said. "You know she's right. Even when you're doubting yourself, you know she's right, don't you?"

He nodded. "Oh…you can't see me nodding. Yes, I know that," he said. "Even if I don't want to admit it to myself. And even if I'm not sure that I believe it 100%. Please don't tell Dad about this."

Beth smiled. Artie nodding while on the phone was something that happened almost every time they talked. "I won't, sweetie," she said. "But you know that you should talk to him about it eventually, right? What are you worried about?"

"I've disappointed him enough in the last 18 years," he muttered. "He doesn't need to know about this."

"Oh, honey," Beth said, her eyes filling with tears, which quickly became evident in her voice. "What makes you think you've ever disappointed him?"

"Nothing, I'm sorry," he mumbled. "Don't cry, Mom. I'm sorry. Let's just forget I ever said that."

Beth nodded, wiping away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, right, you can't see me nodding," she said.

Artie chuckled. "I thought that was my line."

"Do you three want to come for dinner tomorrow night?" she asked, changing the subject. She decided to drop the conversation, and pick it up again when she had him there in person. "I took a huge chicken out of the freezer tonight."

"That sounds good," he said. "I'm pretty sure we have nothing planned. Do you want us to bring something? I could make something."

"No, that's ok," she said. "Just bring yourselves. And Avery, of course. You can bring Bailey too, if he wants to come."

"Does he ever not want to come?" he said, chuckling softly. "The usual time?"

"The usual time," she said. "Sweetie, you should get to bed…it's getting late."

"Mom…" he said. "It's 9:30."

"Oh," she said. "Well…then you should get back to Quinn. Is she awake?"

"I don't think so," he said. "She fell asleep just after we got home. But I should probably go check on her. See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, see you tomorrow, sweetie," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," he said. "And thanks for listening to me."

"Anytime, honey," she said. "You know that."

"I know," he said, softly. "Good night."

"Good night," she replied, and he hung up the phone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yes, for anyone that's wondering…I see Averyverse Quartie as the future of All My Dreams Quartie. :) **

**Thank you for reading (and reviewing!) as always! I still can't believe the amount of attention this story has been getting since I started it. You guys are great! :D**

**In other news...happy birthday Kevin McHale! :)  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 8

"Mommy, why did I come home this morning, if we were just going to come back?"

Quinn turned to face her daughter, who was buckled tightly into her booster seat, and smiled. "Because Grandma and Grandpa had stuff to do today, and Daddy and I wanted to see you," she said. "We miss you when you have sleepovers with Aunty Linds!"

The little girl giggled. "I was only gone for one sleep. And Aunty Linds isn't going to be home for dinner today. She tolded me this morning when we were still in bed." she said. "Did Bailey miss me too?"

"Of course," Artie chimed in, from his spot in the driver's seat. "He was so sad, that Mommy let him sleep in our bed. She made me sleep on the couch all by myself."

Avery gasped from the backseat. "All by yourself? I would have sleeped with you, Daddy. Mommy, why did you do that?"

Quinn rolled her eyes at her husband, before turning her attention back to their daughter.

"Daddy's just kidding," she said. "He slept in the bed with me. …and Bailey."

"YAY!" the little girl exclaimed. "Bailey gets sad when he can't sleep in bed with people."

"Not even trying to hide it anymore," Artie muttered, a grin spreading across his face. "So much for stealth tactics. I'm going to have to work _a lot_ harder on getting her properly trained."

"Daddy, did you just say you want to help catfish?" Avery inquired, reaching over to pat Bailey on the head. "Because I saw catfish at the store with Aunty Rachel. But you can't help them. She said they were dead."

Quinn and Artie exchanged a quick glance, before he turned his eyes back to the road. He was biting his lip to prevent himself from laughing, and couldn't quite pull himself together to answer.

"No, sweetie," Quinn said, as Artie turned onto the road leading to his parents' house. "That's not what he said, but your Daddy did help a goldfish once, when it jumped out of its bowl."

"YOU DID?" Avery said, bouncing slightly in her seat. "Daddy, you're my hero!"

Despite the fact that Artie had been feeling somewhat less than heroic recently, he couldn't help but smile at Avery's proclamation.

"Well," he said, pulling into the driveway. "As long as I'm your hero, I'm the happiest Daddy alive."

The little girl beamed, as she waited for one of her parents to tell her it was ok to get out of the van.

As Quinn unbuckled her seatbelt, and before getting out to go help Avery, she leaned over. "You're my hero too," she said, softly. "Always will be. Don't ever forget that."

* * *

><p>"Grandma!" Avery exclaimed, as soon as she and Bailey were out of the van. "I missed you!"<p>

Beth smiled at her granddaughter. "I missed you too, honey," she said, opening her arms just in time, as the little girl flung herself into them. "Did you have a good day?"

Avery nodded. "Grandma, did you know that Daddy saved a goldfish's life once? He's a hero!"

"I did know that," she said, as Avery reached out to hold her hand. "He jumped out of his bowl, and your daddy put him back in just in time."

"Daddy is so brave," Avery said, leaning against Beth's leg.

Beth grinned. "He is, sweetie. He really is."

"He really is what?" Artie asked, wheeling up the path, having finally dislodged the small cooler he'd packed in the van from under the seat, where it had slid and promptly become stuck during the short trip. "If you're talking about me, I can only assume it's something good."

"Actually, we were talking about Bailey," Beth said. "And about how well behaved he is. Sweetie, why do you have a cooler? I told you not to bring anything!"

"Hi to you too, Mom," Artie said, grinning at her, before holding open his arms.

As she leaned forward to embrace her eldest son, Beth smiled, and kissed him on the cheek. "Sorry, honey. Hi. Now, why do you have a cooler?"

"Wow, right to the point, aren't we?" he said, as Beth hugged Quinn. "I made marinated mushrooms. They've been in the fridge getting ready for this for THREE days."

"But I only invited you yesterday," Beth said, raising her eyebrows.

"I can see the future now," Artie said. "Didn't anyone tell you?"

Beth raised her eyebrows further, trying not to let the grin threatening to spread over her face become too obvious.

"Ok, fine," he said. "I didn't plan to bring them for dinner. I made them with the intention that Avery and I would eat them, and then you invited us for dinner, and here they are."

"But Daddy, you didn't make those!" Avery piped up, her hand still clenched tightly around Beth's. "Mommy did, when you asked her. And I helped!"

Artie shrugged. "It was worth a try. Now…why are we standing on the doorstep? Let's go inside!"

* * *

><p>"And you should really get rid of that orange shag in the basement," Steve said to Artie, as they sat in the living room, while Avery helped Beth finish up dinner. "There's no way you can easily move around on that, can you? It's about six inches long."<p>

"You're kidding, right?" Artie said.

"He has a point," Quinn said. "It would be easier for you to move around down there. Plus, Artie…that carpet is horrendous."

"Woman, we are not getting rid of my orange shag!" he said. "That's part of the charm of the basement. It's like the bat cave."

Steve thought for a moment, an amused expression on his face.

"Right. Because the bat cave has orange shag," he said. "I just thought it might make things a little easier for you."

"Ok, so maybe it's not the most wheel-friendly floor-covering on the planet," Artie admitted. "But it's fine. It's nice and soft for Avery to play on when she's down there with me."

"We could put something else in," Quinn said. "Or something for her to play on?"

Artie shook his head. "It's fine," he said. "Besides, we can't really afford to be replacing the carpet down there right now. It's not high on my list of stuff that needs to be done."

"You love that carpet," Quinn said, a small grin on her face. "It's not on your list of stuff that needs to be done at all."

Artie shrugged. "Not really, no. Plus, with the way the chair lift is at the bottom of the stairs, it would have to be moved. And, from what I heard, that thing was the biggest pain in the ass ever to install."

"Well, if you do decide to get rid of it, we can pull it up together," Steve said. "Michael would probably come help too. And he didn't say it was the biggest pain in the ass ever," he added. "Just that it made him never want to become a professional chair lift installer's assistant."

Artie grinned at the memory of his brother swearing in the basement as the guy installing the lift told him what he needed him to do. The day the lift had been scheduled to be installed, his assistant was out sick, and, after realizing he couldn't do it alone, he had recruited Michael, who was there with his father, helping him replace the kitchen cabinets with some that would be easier for Artie to access. "Thanks, Dad," he said. "But it's fine for now."

Steve was about to say something else, when Avery came running into the room and climbed into Quinn's lap. "Daddy," she said. "Grandma needs you to come help her with some stuff."

Artie, grateful for the distraction, nodded, before telling everyone he'd be right back, and heading off down the hall.

He wasn't sure at what point his relationship with his father had changed, but the sense of true closeness they had shared earlier in his life had definitely slowly drifted away, while the closeness with his mother had seemed to become even stronger, the older he got.

He wondered if part of it had to do with the feelings that were always in the back of his mind. That he hadn't lived up to the potential his father thought he should have. That he hadn't been what Steve had hoped for in a son. That he was somehow less than what he should have been.

Not that Steve, or anyone else, had ever given him any indication whatsoever that this might be the case. But that didn't stop him from thinking about it. And wondering if maybe, just maybe, his dad actually did think those things about him.

* * *

><p>"You needed my help?" he asked, approaching his mother. "Did you need my manly chicken apart-taking skills or my incredibly sharp tasting skills?"<p>

Beth turned, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. "I'll need both, eventually," she said. "But right now I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. Are you ok, sweetie?"

"Of course," he said. "I'm fine. Why?"

"You can't have a conversation like we had on the phone yesterday, and then brush it off by saying you're fine," she said, as she cut up one of the potatoes lying on the counter.

Artie averted his eyes. "Mom, I said I'm fine," he said. "Really."

"Honey, I've known you for too long to accept that as an answer," she said quietly, putting down the potato and sitting down at the small table, beckoning him to come closer. "Like it or not, your mom can read you like a book."

He shifted in his chair, before placing his hands in his lap. "I'm a little stressed about…that thing we talked about last night," he whispered. "But it'll be fine, right? It'll work itself out."

"I really think you should talk to your dad about what's going on," she answered softly, pausing for a moment to make sure she could still hear Quinn and Steve talking in the living room. "He's your dad, honey. You can talk about things like this with him."

Artie shook his head. "Not now. I don't want him to know about this. You're the only person I've told…I don't even think Q has told her mom."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Beth said, placing a hand on his. "It's perfectly alright to get help with something like that. Lots of people do that, sweetie."

"I'm sick of needing help with things," he muttered. "Can we please not talk about this now? Can't I help you with something?"

She nodded, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around him. "Ok, sweetie. But when you are ready to talk about it some more, you let me know…ok?"

He nodded, hugging her back.

"Now," she said, rising from the chair. "What was that about incredibly sharp tasting skills?"

He grinned, following her over to the stove.

She was right. She could read him like a book. And he would talk to her about it. And maybe to his dad. But not then. Because it was supposed to be a happy, fun family evening.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Grandma!" Avery said, as Beth placed the chicken, hot out of the oven, on the table. "That turkey looks so good! But he's so little! Was he a baby?"<p>

"It's a chicken, sweetie," she said, sitting down. "He's supposed to be little like that."

"But chicken comes in pieces," Avery said. "Mommy or Daddy always takes the bones out of mine, if it has them."

Quinn leaned over to Artie. "I guess it's time we bought and cooked a whole chicken, isn't it?" she asked.

He grinned. "Maybe," he said. "Have we really never had one?"

"Not in a while," she said. "Longer than I thought, apparently, or Avery would remember."

"Daddy, can you help, please?" Avery asked, pointing to a dish of potatoes. "I can't reach them, and Grandma said yesterday it's not polite to stand on my chair at dinner, even though you let me sometimes."

"That's only when neither of us can reach something," he said, quietly. "And I thought that was our little secret?"

"Just in case the footprints on the chair cushion covers weren't a clue for me?" Quinn asked, grinning at the two of them. "But thank you for being polite and asking Daddy, Avery," she added.

Beth watched, as Artie scooped a small amount of potatoes onto his daughter's plate, telling her it was probably a good idea to eat those first, before taking more, just in case she got full.

He was always so good with her. In the almost six years that Avery had been alive, Beth had never once seen or heard about Artie losing his temper with her, or getting frustrated, or being anything other than an amazing father. She hoped for him, and for Quinn, that the help they'd been getting would pay off, and they'd be able to continue to grow their family. She knew that was what they both wanted, but she also knew that, even though they would both be upset, if they weren't able to have any more children they would be perfectly happy too.

"This chicken is amazing," Quinn said to her, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Do you think you could tell me what you did to it, so I can try it?"

She smiled at her daughter in law. "Of course," she said. "I'll write it down for you before you leave, and if you run into any problems you can give me a call."

* * *

><p>"I love you Grandpa," Avery said, wrapping herself around Steve's legs. "And I love you too, Grandma," she said, transferring herself over to Beth's legs.<p>

"We love you too, sweetie," Beth said, leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"Can I come have a sleepover with you and Grandpa next time?" she asked.

Steve grinned. "Of course you can," he said.

"Thank you for dinner," Quinn said. "We'll have to have you over next weekend, if you're available."

Beth smiled, giving Quinn a hug. "I think we are, honey," she said. "I'll let you know for sure tomorrow, ok?"

"Bye Dad," Artie said to his father, who leaned down, wrapping his son in a quick embrace.

"I'll give you a call later this week, ok?" Steve said, straightening up. "So we can talk some more about that carpet," he added, winking at Quinn.

Artie rolled his eyes slightly, and turned to his mother. "Bye Mom," he said. "Thanks for dinner."

"Oh, you're welcome, sweetie," she said, leaning forward to hug him. "I'll call you, ok?" she whispered into his ear, before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He nodded.

"Drive safely!" Beth added, as the four of them headed for the van.

Artie turned, waiting as the ramp made its descent. "I always do," he said. "Especially when I've got all my precious cargo on board."

Beth's smile widened, her eyes filling with tears. "I know you do, sweetie. I know."

* * *

><p>That night, as they lay together in bed, Quinn turned to him.<p>

"I wasn't joking earlier tonight," she whispered into his ear.

"Hmmm?" he asked, his eyes half-closed, sleep calling his name.

"You really are my hero," she said, softly. "And you always will be."

He tightened his grip on her shoulders, pulling her closer. "You're mine too," he said. "And I'm pretty sure together we can do anything."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just a little in between because someone requested the dinner scene.**

**And because I thought we could use a little break from everything else that's going on. Sort of.**

**You know I can't totally stray away from the matter at hand!**

**I have the next few chapters all planned out, and, time-willing, will be updating much more frequently.**

**As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

That morning, when Quinn left to drop Avery off at kindergarten, something felt a bit off. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, though, and decided it must be nothing. She kissed Avery goodbye, and told her she'd be there to pick her up at 12:30, as usual.

She sat in her car, watching as her little girl happily made her way into the school building, before starting the engine, and driving off.

Quinn stopped at the grocery store, before heading back home, where she intended on spending the bulk of the morning starting to go through the boxes and bins that had accumulated in their house's third bedroom since they'd moved in. She and Artie had talked about it, and she had told him that she thought they had better start cleaning it out, so they could turn the room into a nursery when she got pregnant. She always said, "when," never, "if." She knew that, eventually, they would welcome another child into their home. Even if it took longer than they'd hoped for…She knew that Dr. Scott had several more tricks up his sleeve.

Before getting started on the room, she made a quick stop in the washroom adjoining their bedroom. And that's where the quiet calm and peacefulness of the morning was shattered.

* * *

><p>At 9:30, Quinn found herself pulling into the parking lot of the church she, Artie, and Avery attended every Sunday. She stepped from the vehicle, unsure of how she'd even managed to drive there safely. She wiped her eyes one final time with the tissue she'd been clutching all the way there, and approached the doors.<p>

Once inside, Quinn headed off to the right, where she knew that Father Kerrigan's office was located, hoping he would be there. She had been a member of the church for most of her life, and that morning it felt like the only place she wanted to be. At least until she worked through some things.

Relieved to see the door open, Quinn approached it, knocking gently.

At the sound of her knock, Father Kerrigan lifted his head from the note he'd been writing, and smiled when he saw Quinn standing in the doorway of his office.

"Quinn," he said, rising from his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"I just needed someone to talk to," she said, softly, entering the office. "Do you have a minute?"

The gray-haired priest smiled softly, motioning over to the cozy sitting area to the left of his desk. "I always have a minute," he said, kindly. "In fact, I may even have more than one, if you need it. Is everything alright?"

She started to nod, before shaking her head, tears beginning to flow freely down her face once more.

As they sat, she began to explain. About how they'd been trying to have another baby, and had finally sought help. And how that help had failed.

As she explained, Father Kerrigan offered the occasional comforting word, but mostly he just sat and listened.

"And now, a little while ago, I found out that it didn't work again," she said, biting her lip. "And I haven't told Artie yet. I don't know what to do, Father," she went on. "I almost can't bear to tell him. It's even harder on him than it is on me, because he thinks it's his fault that we haven't had any more children. It makes me sad, but I can accept it, because I know that we can keep trying, and one of these times it's going to work…but he can't. I hate seeing him beat himself up and blame himself for something he has no control over. The doctors had always told him that he probably wouldn't be able to get me pregnant, and then he did, and when Avery was born, he said she was a miracle from God. And I don't understand how we could be granted one miracle like that, and not another. Especially one that would mean so much to Artie. I'm happy with our little family exactly how it is now, and I know he is too, but it's just not fair," she finished, sobbing.

Father Kerrigan placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, before reaching over and pulling the box of tissues he kept sitting on the small end table closer to her. She took a couple from the box, and wiped her eyes.

They sat for a couple of minutes, while Quinn composed herself, before he spoke.

"These things take time," he said, softly. "I know that's probably not a very helpful thing for me to say right now," he went on, "but in the end, if it's meant to happen, it will. Do you believe that you and Artie are meant to have another child?"

She looked up, thinking about what he said for a second, before nodding. "I know we are," she said. "He couldn't possibly want this as much as he does, if we weren't meant to have another one."

Father Kerrigan nodded, smiling at her. "We can't rush God's plans, Quinn," he said.

"But I don't know what to do," she said, quietly. "I can't tell him. I can't see that look on his face again. I can't listen to him talk about himself like he's worthless and useless because it didn't work. But I have to tell him," she said, her eyes refilling themselves with tears. "It's just so hard."

Father Kerrigan nodded again. "You know you can both come and see me, anytime you need to, right?" he asked. "And Artie knows this too?"

She nodded. "He won't come see you," she said. "He won't talk to anyone about it. He won't even talk openly about it with me, or about how he's feeling most of the time. That's just how he is."

The older man nodded, remembering several occasions where Artie had demonstrated that yes, that was exactly how he was.

"You just need to keep being there for each other," he said. "Even when it's hard, and even when it looks like it might be easier to run away from things."

"I know," Quinn said. "And I will. And he will, too."

They chatted for a bit more, before Quinn glanced at the clock, realizing that she was going to be late to pick up Avery, if she didn't leave soon. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to be there for over two hours, but she thought to herself that she had definitely made the right choice of where to go.

After thanking him, and promising that she would be back any time she wanted to talk, Quinn left Father Kerrigan's office, said a small prayer, and headed out of the church.

* * *

><p>Quinn hurried to put on a bit of makeup as she sat in the parking lot waiting for Avery, so her daughter wouldn't see that she'd been crying. When she heard the bell, she got out of the car, and stood beside it, like she did every day.<p>

After a couple of minutes, she saw Avery running towards her, her bright pink backpack swinging from side to side with each step she took.

"Mommy!" the little girl cried, when she got closer. "Hi!"

"Hi sweetie," Quinn said, opening the back door of her car so that Avery could get in. "How was school?"

"Oh, it was so fun," Avery said, as she took off her backpack, placed it on the seat, and climbed in. "We got some of those little green fuzzy worms in a fish tank, and my teacher said that they might turn into butterflies!"

"You mean caterpillars?" Quinn asked, watching to make sure that Avery's seatbelt was buckled.

She nodded. "I forgot their names. Can we go to the park to play on the swings before we go home?" she asked. "I waited for my turn at recess today, but I never got to."

Quinn smiled at her. "Of course," she said. "Are you ready to go?"

Avery nodded, flashing her signature grin, so much like her dad's, at her mother.

As Quinn closed the door, and headed around to get into the driver's seat, she pushed the image of Artie's face when she told him the procedure had failed out of her head, and focused on making sure that Avery had a good afternoon.

* * *

><p>"Why isn't Daddy home yet?" Avery asked, running to look out the living room window. "It's almost dark, and he's late."<p>

"It's Monday," Quinn reminded her. "Remember, he has a Physio appointment?"

"OH!" Avery said. "I forgetted. Can we bake him some cookies, Mommy? Sometimes he looks grumpy when he gets home from there, and cookies make him happy. And then can we paint my nails, and your nails? Can they be pink? Can the cookies be chocolate chip?"

Quinn grinned. "I think we could do both those things," she said. "Except I'm not sure if we have chocolate chips…we might have to make oatmeal."

"But chocolate chip is Daddy's favourite!" Avery said, a slightly concerned look on her face. "And the cookies won't make him happy if they aren't his favourite!"

"Well, then," Quinn said, "we'd better go look to make sure we've got some, and if not, we'll run to the store. Ok?"

Avery nodded, moving away from the window. "Can we make some with happy faces on them?"

"I think we can," Quinn said, as they headed to the kitchen. "We can make them however you want."

* * *

><p>Fortunately, there was a full package of chocolate chips in the cupboard. Quinn didn't remember buying them, and wondered if Artie had snuck them in there as a subtle reminder that he was always receptive to cookies.<p>

While Quinn gathered what they'd need to bake the cookies, Avery pulled up her stool.

"Why does he have to go?" she asked, watching as her mother arranged everything on the counter.

"Why does who have to go?" Quinn asked, not 100% sure what Avery was talking about.

"Daddy," the little girl went on. "Why does he have to go to Physio all the time? What do they do there? Is he sick?"

Quinn shook her head, smiling at her daughter. "No, he's not sick," she said, measuring flour into a bowl. "He has to go so he can make sure he stays healthy, and so they can give his legs some exercise," she continued, hoping that her explanation made sense to the little girl. She wasn't really sure how much detail she should go into. It was the first time Avery had really asked about what went on there, and she didn't want to overload her with information she might not understand.

"Does it hurts him?" Avery asked, her eyes wide with concern. "Is that why he looks grumpy sometimes?"

Carefully considering her answer, Quinn cracked an egg into the bowl, while Avery waited so she could stir something. "No, it doesn't hurt him," she said. "He just doesn't like to go very much. He'd much rather be here with us."

"Maybe I could help him," Avery said, twisting her mouth slightly. "Then he wouldn't have to go there so much. And he wouldn't have to be grumpy."

Quinn smiled softly at her daughter. "Maybe you could help him," she said. "But right now, I think you need to help me! I can't seem to mix these cookies properly!"

"I CAN!" Avery exclaimed, jumping up and down on her stool. "I can mix them!"

Once the cookies were mixed, and on the tray ready to go in the oven, Quinn handed Avery a small cup of chocolate chips, and watched as she carefully arranged them on top of each cookie, in the shape of a happy face.

"Can we paint my nails now?" she asked, once the tray had been pushed into the oven. "Pink?"

Quinn grinned. "We can," she said. "Just let me go find the nail polish."

* * *

><p>Artie barely had a chance to open the door, before Avery came flying into his lap.<p>

"Hey, princess," he said, smiling at her. "How was your day?"

"It was good, Daddy," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I went to school, and then we went to play on the swings because I didn't get my turn on the playground. Then we came home and watched a movie, and we baked you a surprise and Mommy painted my finger nails," she continued holding out her hand in front of his face. "See?"

"Purple!" Artie said, grinning at her.

"No, silly," she said. "Pink! Come see the surprise we baked for you to make you happy," she said. "I don't want you to be grumpy because you had to go to Physio. You don't have to go anymore, Daddy. I can help you now."

Wondering a bit about what the conversation had consisted of at their house before he got home, Artie wheeled them into the kitchen, where Quinn stood at the counter, waiting.

"Hi," she said, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," he said. "I suspect it's going to get a lot better in about two seconds when someone gives me this surprise you baked for me," he added, grinning at her. "How was yours?"

"It was ok," she said, softly, her expression changing subtly.

He gave her a questioning look, before deciding not to ask while Avery was still awake. "So," he said, to both of them. "I'm here. Surprise me!"

Avery giggled, before hopping down off his lap and heading to the counter, where Quinn had put the plate of cookies they'd organized together.

"We made your favourite to make you happy," she said, walking back to him. "And I putted the happy faces on them, so now you have two happies!"

He grinned, as she placed the plate of chocolate chip, happy-faced cookies in his lap. "Wow," he said. "These look great! Thank you!"

"Mommy did most of it," Avery said. "I just stirred them and made happy faces. Can we eat them in the living room?"

"We?" Artie asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do you think I'm going to share? I thought these were MY happy surprise cookies?"

"I know you will give me one," she said. "And I already eated two before you got home. They didn't all fit on the plate. Is that ok?"

He chuckled, as she took the cookies from him and climbed back into his lap. "I guess so," he said, as the three of them headed towards the living room. "It's not like you left me any choice. Bailey," he called out, as they entered the room. "You're going to have to get off the couch. We have serious cookie business about to go on in here."

* * *

><p>They watched part of a movie, before Avery fell asleep across Artie's lap, and Quinn decided that would be the perfect time to get her to bed.<p>

As she lifted her gingerly off Artie's legs, the little girl stirred, but didn't wake up.

Once she'd gotten her safely tucked into bed, Quinn closed the bedroom door, and headed back to the living room. In her absence, Artie had pulled himself up into a sitting position, and he patted the cushion beside him and smiled.

She sat down, and he wrapped his arm around her, guiding her head to rest on his shoulder.

"Is everything ok?" he asked, quietly. "You looked different than usual when I got home," he said.

He waited for her to respond, before noticing that a spot on his shirt was starting to feel wet.

"Hey," he said, turning slightly so he could see her face better. "What's wrong?"

"It didn't work," she said, quietly, as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

He stared at her for a second, processing what she'd just told him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"We just have to try again," she said, reaching out to grab his free hand, drawing it closer to her. "It's going to work eventually."

He nodded, saying nothing.

"Are you ok?" she asked, wrapping her fingers around his.

"I'm fine," he said, unconvincingly, while staring straight ahead out the window. "We'll try again. Don't cry."

"Maybe we should talk about this," she said, as he drew his hand away, supporting himself on the arm of the couch as he shifted his weight a bit.

"There's nothing to talk about," Artie muttered, reaching back to her hand. "We're going to try again, and one of these days it's going to work. Dr. Scott said it could take months, or years. We just have to keep trying."

Quinn was entirely unconvinced that Artie meant the words that came out of his mouth, but decided not to press the issue. She considered mentioning that she'd talked to Father Kerrigan, and that he'd mentioned that Artie could talk to him too, but decided not to. She'd tell him about it eventually…just not at that moment.

They sat on the couch for a bit longer, holding each other, before deciding to go to bed.

* * *

><p>As Artie took off his pants, the scene in the living room ran through his head. He had told Quinn he was fine. That they would try again, and that eventually it would work. And she had accepted his answer almost without question.<p>

The only problem was, he wasn't entirely certain that it would ever work. And he definitely wasn't fine. But he had to be strong. For his family.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed!**

**I love how much love this story gets. :D**

**Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEGAN. Consider this your delightful birthday present. ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

The day after Quinn had revealed to Artie that attempt #2 had failed, he had called Dr. Scott's office, to set up the next appointment. As the day approached, Quinn noticed Artie becoming more and more withdrawn. He seemed so distracted all the time, and it was like nothing she could do or say really reached him. He smiled, and laughed, and acted like everything was fine…but she could tell that it really wasn't.

The day of the appointment was much like the two previous ones had been, but one thing was different. The fact that Artie was basically silent through the entire procedure was not lost on Quinn. Or on Dr. Scott, who, despite not being all that surprised by Artie's comments etc. in the past, was worried. He'd had a lot of patients over the years, and the way Artie had reacted to everything wasn't what made him worry…the fact that he was suddenly completely silent, not voicing any concerns or asking any questions, was, because it was so out of character.

He could tell from the look on Quinn's face as her husband sat, in complete silence, holding her hand and looking off into a corner of the room that something was definitely off.

After the procedure, Dr. Scott left the room, to finish up some paper work. When he saw that they were getting ready to leave, he emerged from his office, and jogged down the short hallway to catch up with them.

"Artie," he said, approaching him and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

He nodded, looking over at Quinn, who smiled softly, and unlocked the van, deciding that the doctor must want to talk to him alone, or he would have asked for both of them.

Once she was in the van, Artie turned to Dr. Scott, a questioning look on his face.

"Is everything ok?" the doctor asked, sitting down on one of the benches outside the clinic, so he would be eye-level with the much younger man.

Artie nodded. "Of course," he said. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You don't seem to be yourself," the doctor went on, being careful of what he said. The last thing he wanted was to make Artie mad, or upset him. "I know you're disappointed that the procedure hasn't worked so far, but we're still early in this process, and we still have a lot of options to choose from."

"I know," Artie said. "You said it could take months, or even years. I know something will work eventually," he said, unconvincingly. "We just have to be patient."

"Is everything alright with you and Quinn?" the doctor asked, trying to gauge whether or not Artie was being truthful.

He nodded. "Everything is great," he said. "I'd better get her home now, so she can lie down and rest."

The doctor nodded. "Before you go," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card. "We have a new counsellor here that specializes in these sorts of things. If you ever need someone to talk to…he could help."

Reluctantly, Artie took the card. "Thanks," he said. "But we're fine. Really."

The doctor nodded again, standing up from the bench. "Call me if anything happens, ok?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Artie extended his hand in return, giving the doctor's a firm shake. "We will," he said, turning towards the van. "And Dr. Scott?"

"Yes?" the doctor asked, smiling at him.

"Thanks," Artie said. "We really appreciate everything you've been doing for us."

"You're welcome," the doctor replied. "Now," he said, "Get your wife home and take care of her!"

"I will," Artie said, smiling at him. "As always."

* * *

><p><em>The next day<em>

"Why are there so many choices?" Artie muttered, examining the large rack of assorted princess Barbies and other dolls at the department store they were visiting. "Which one did she want?"

"You mean which ones?" Quinn asked, giggling. "Well, this one," she said, pointing to one. "And this one. And those two. And then that one."

Artie chuckled. "You may as well have just said she wanted all of them in the first place, woman!" he said, continuing to examine the dolls.

"She also wants a princess party," Quinn said. "Just in case you didn't get the memo."

"The memo? I've had the memo every day this week at breakfast," he said, grinning. "We probably should have started planning this a little sooner," he added, feeling guilty that preparing for Avery's birthday had been pushed to the backburner while they'd dealt with the second procedure not working, and prepared for the next one.

"It doesn't take that much work to put together a back yard princess party," Quinn said. "We can do it, no problem!"

"About that," Artie said. "What if we stopped at that fancy party place on the way home, to see if they have princess parties, and if we could maybe book one for next weekend? Do you think they can book on such short notice?"

"I think that place is pretty expensive," Quinn said. "Why don't we just do it at home? We can make it really nice."

"She really wants the perfect princess party," Artie said. "Actually…I apparently can't give her what she REALLY wants, but at least I could give her this," he muttered softly, casting his eyes down.

Quinn, standing behind him, placed a hand on his shoulder, blinking rapidly to hold in the tears that were threatening to make a very sudden appearance in response to Artie's last, muttered statement.

"Why don't we stop there on the way home?" she asked, finally trusting herself to be able to speak. "And see if they have what we're looking for?"

* * *

><p>As they finished up in the store, having purchased two dolls, because Artie couldn't narrow down which one was the right one, they decided to make a quick stop at the grocery store attached to the mall, so Quinn could pick up a few things she needed for the meals she'd planned for the rest of the week.<p>

As he headed down the produce section, Artie glanced around. He wasn't sure if it just seemed like it because he was incredibly aware of them in recent weeks, or if there were actually babies EVERYWHERE. It seemed like everyone he looked at was holding a baby, or a small child.

He blinked a few times, wondering if he was hallucinating because he had babies on the brain. But, when he opened his eyes, after a brief glance around, he deduced that there were, in fact, children everywhere.

As he hurried to stuff some carrots in a plastic produce bag, he heard his name being called out behind him.

He turned, and was greeted by the smiling face of John, his ex-coworker, and his wife, Meredith. Who…was holding a baby. Great.

"Hey, buddy," John said, extending his hand. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah," Artie said, smiling at him. "Hi Meredith," he added.

"Hi Artie," she said, walking closer to him. "I don't think you've met Sally yet," she said, leaning down with the baby. "She'll be a month old tomorrow."

"Congratulations," Artie said to both of them, while staring at the perfect, blue-eyed baby. "She's beautiful."

"We weren't really trying," John said, reaching out and taking his daughter from his wife. "It just kind of happened one day. Never ceases to amaze me how easy these things are."

"That's…great," Artie said, glancing around and hoping that Quinn would surface sooner rather than later.

"Any more kids for you and Quinn?" Meredith asked, examining a head of lettuce before placing it carefully in a bag.

Artie shook his head. "Avery's keeping us pretty busy," he said, smiling at the mention of his daughter's name. "She started kindergarten, so there's been lots going on."

"Planning on giving her a little brother or sister anytime soon?" John asked, shifting the baby in his arms. "You can't tell me she doesn't want one."

Artie tightly clenched his hand under the bag of carrots sitting in his lap. Yes, she did want one. And he couldn't give her one. And John was, albeit unintentionally, slapping him in the face with that. Great.

"Oh," he said, picking up his phone, which had been resting against his thigh. "Quinn is looking for me. Apparently she's in the dairy section," he added. "Sorry…I'd better go."

"It was really good seeing you, Artie," John said. "I've got your number…I'll call you, and maybe we can go out for a drink or something."

"That would be good," he said, somewhat unconvincingly. "It was nice to see you both too. Bye, Meredith, Sally," he said, offering them a slight wave.

As he wheeled away, he glanced down at his black cell phone screen. He headed towards the dairy section, and was relieved to see that Quinn was actually there. He couldn't believe he'd just lied about a text message to get away from someone. She didn't need to know about that. Otherwise he'd have to explain the conversation that had taken place. And he definitely wasn't doing THAT.

"Got the carrots?" she asked, grinning at him.

He nodded. "Are we done? We should probably get home."

She nodded back, not failing to notice the way he glanced over his shoulder, or the abrupt tone in his voice. "We're done," she said, wondering what had happened. She thought about asking, before deciding that he'd talk about it if he wanted to.

"I think we should stop for ice cream after we hit the party place," he said, as they headed towards the checkouts. "How's that sound? I'm actually more in a cake mood…but ice cream will suffice. I really wish someone would open a drive through cake place around here."

She smiled. "Sounds good to me," she said. "As long as we go somewhere that has waffle cones. And a drive through cake place…would be amazing."

"Whatever you want," he said. "As long as where we go also has that thing where they dip it all in chocolate."

She giggled. "So, really," she said. "There's only one place we can go. The same place we always go."

He nodded, grinning at her. He'd realized a long time ago that something sweet was the perfect distraction…for both of them.

* * *

><p>Artie was delighted, as they emerged from "the party place," who's name he knew he would NEVER remember. Not only did they have very fancy princess parties that sounded exactly like what they were looking for, but they could fit them in on the Saturday immediately following Avery's birthday. Her birthday was on Friday, and they'd already decided to have a family party day on Sunday, so Saturday worked perfectly.<p>

"She's going to love this," he said, as they got into the van.

Quinn nodded. Despite the fact that she thought the price they were going to pay for something she could probably almost duplicate at home was ridiculous, she had to agree. Avery would love it. And Artie was probably right…if they had to buy all that princess stuff, the cost to do it at home probably wouldn't be much less.

"Ok, woman," he said, grinning at her, the grocery store encounter pushed all the way to the back of his mind. "Now. Ice cream."

She giggled. "I agree," she said. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>"Daddy," Avery said, crawling up into his lap. "Did you know it's almost my birthday?"<p>

"What?" he said, a look of shock on his face. "Are you serious? How old are you going to be? 43?"

The little girl giggled. "No, silly," she said, placing her hands on either side of his face. "I'm going to be six!"

"OH!" he exclaimed. "SIX! Sorry, must have confused you with someone else."

"Can I have a princess party, Daddy?" she asked. "And go to the zoo?"

He glanced over at Quinn, who nodded, a big smile on her face.

"Tell you what, princess," he said. "How about you have a princess party with your friends on Saturday, and then we'll have a family zoo trip on Sunday, and dinner with everybody at Grandma and Grandpa's?"

"YES!" Avery shrieked, wrapping her arms around him. "A princess party! And the zoo! Is my other grandma coming too?"

"Of course she is," Quinn said. "You didn't think she'd miss your birthday party, did you?"

"Do I get two cakes if I have two parties?" Avery asked, bouncing with excitement.

"Wait…you want a party AND a cake?" Artie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously? Because we thought you didn't need a cake if you were having a party."

"But…" Avery trailed off, before glancing up and noticing the gigantic grin on her father's face. "Daddy!" she said. "I know I get a cake at my birthday!"

Artie hugged, her, glancing over her shoulder at Quinn, and discretely holding up three fingers. When Artie had proclaimed that they needed to have a cake on Friday, her actual birthday, Quinn had agreed. Shortly thereafter, she realized that they would also have a cake at the party on Saturday, and she was fairly certain Beth would make a black forest cake on Sunday, because she knew it was Avery's favourite. Yet another thing she'd inherited from her father.

She was pretty sure that none of them needed to eat that much cake in such a short period of time, but it was too late…she'd already agreed. Plus…she couldn't really deny a little girl a cake on her actual birthday. Could she?

When she'd said that to Artie, he had laughed, and told her that he knew she secretly loved cake just as much as they did. Which she couldn't argue against either. And so…three cakes it was.

"You can invite eight people to your princess party," Quinn said, reading over the piece of paper in her hand. "Do you know who you want to invite yet?"

"Me," Avery started, holding up one finger. "And Ariel. And Shannon, Hannah, Maizie, Julia, Pam, and Holly. OH! And Crystal. That's too many," she said, holding up nine fingers and looking sad.

"You don't have to invite yourself," Quinn said, grinning at her. "So that's just right!" She went through the list she'd jotted down, reading over the names and trying to attach them to the faces of some of the little girls in Avery's class. She found matches for all, except one.

"Who's Ariel, sweetie?" she asked. "Is she in your class?"

Avery shook her head. "She's in Mrs. Ward's class. She's my friend, and she has the same name as my favourite princess! Did you know that, Daddy?" she asked, turning back to Artie.

"I do now," Artie said, grinning at her.

"We play together sometimes at recess," she said. "And I always make her my partner when we have gym class. But sometimes she asks if I want to be her partner before I can ask her! Did you know we have gym class with Mrs. Ward's class on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, Daddy?"

"I do now," Artie repeated. "Actually, this sounds familiar," he added. "I think I knew this before."

Avery giggled. "Can I give out inivations, Mommy? When it was Hannah's birthday, she gave them out."

Quinn nodded. "Of course you can give out invitations," she said. "I've got them right here. Did you want to write the names yourself?"

Avery nodded, jumping off Artie's lap. "Can you help me?" she asked him turning back.

"I can, sweetie," Quinn said, patting the couch beside her.

Avery thought for a moment. "Can you help me with some, and then Daddy can help me with some?" she asked. "So we can share?"

Artie beamed, as Quinn nodded, and they got to work. He wasn't really around little children much, besides Avery, and Ella from time to time, but he was pretty sure his daughter was the sweetest, most polite, thoughtful child ever.

He watched, as Quinn helped her carefully print the names of her friends on the invitations, and then sat back to allow her to write her own name at the bottom all by herself. When she had finished the first four, she slid across the couch, bringing the other four to him, and they repeated the process.

"Do you want me to come help you read the names to hand them out tomorrow morning?" Quinn asked, arranging the invitations in a neat little stack.

Avery shook her head. "I can do it," she said. "And my teacher can help me if I don't know. Daddy," she said, leaning towards him. "Do you think the people I didn't invite will be sad? I wish I could invite everybody."

Artie was pretty sure what he was feeling was entirely unmanly, but his daughter's question made him feel like he could just melt into the couch.

"Well," he said. "I'm sure they'll understand that you could only invite a few," he said, the wheels in his brain turning rapidly. "And maybe we could make cupcakes for your whole class for your birthday," he said, glancing over at Quinn, who nodded subtly. "That way everyone could have at least a little celebration of your birthday?"

Avery smiled, and nodded, before her smile turned to a frown. "We can't," she said. "James brought some on his birthday, and Bobby is urgic to cupcakes, so he couldn't have any."

"He's allergic?" Quinn asked, assuming that was what she meant.

Avery nodded again. "I don't know what that means."

"That means that it would make him sick if he ate it," Quinn said. "It's kind of like how Daddy has allergies, but he's not allergic to food, just trees, and plants and stuff."

"Oh," Avery said. "Daddy, you shouldn't eat trees if they make you sick."

Artie bit back the laughter that threatened to emerge from his mouth. "I'll be careful, princess," he said. "Don't worry. I'm not going to get sick."

Quinn made a mental note to ask Avery's teacher the next day about the allergies, so she could figure out something they could take to school for Avery's birthday that wouldn't make anyone sick.

"I think it's almost time for bed," Quinn said, glancing at the clock. "Are you tired, sweetie?"

Avery nodded. "But I can't go yet," she said. "I have to help Daddy first."

"Help me with what?" Artie asked, shifting himself slightly, bracing himself on the arm of the couch.

"Physio, Daddy," she said, crawling over to him. "To keep you healthy! Remember? We baked you cookies and then I said I would help you. I was just little, but now I'm almost six, so I'm big and now I can help you!"

"Oh, right," he said, remembering back to her brief mention of the subject several weeks earlier. "Well," he said. "I think that can wait until you're a bit bigger. How about bed?"

She shook her head. "Daddy," she said. "I have to help you with Physio so you don't get sick from your urgies!"

"Ok," he said, a slightly serious tone in his voice. "The first exercise we have to do is cuddle, and then we have to give Bailey a cuddle. How does that sound?"

"How does that make your legs healthy?" the little girl asked, a questioning look on her face, as she reached out and patted his thigh gently.

"It makes my everything healthy," he said, grinning at her.

Avery nodded, before nestling herself into his side.

Artie glanced over to Quinn, winking at her. She giggled, playfully rolling her eyes.

He was pretty sure he'd be hearing about that later. He'd had so many unpleasant thoughts on his mind over the last few weeks, that all he wanted to do was sit on the couch, snuggling his family. Forever.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you to everyone that's reading! I see you in my stats…even if you aren't leaving reviews. But I really wish you would, every once in a while! Let me know how I'm doing! ;)**

**I'm pretty sure this is my absolute favourite chapter so far. SO much fun to write. And SO easy…it basically wrote itself. I could write nothing but adorable Artie/Avery for the rest of my life…but due to the fact that there are other people in this, and that I have several other things on the go at all times…that will never happen!**


	11. Chapter 11

"Daddy? Mommy?" Avery called softly, peeking her head into their bedroom. "Are you awake?"

"Hey, princess," Artie whispered, reaching over to grab his glasses. "I am. Shhh, Mommy's still sleeping…I think," he added, looking over his shoulder.

Avery tiptoed into their bedroom, climbing up and sitting on the seat of his wheelchair.

"Do you know what today is, Daddy?" she whispered, leaning forward and kissing him gently on the cheek.

"Saturday?" Artie whispered back, grinning at her.

"And my princess party!" Avery said, her voice leaving the range of whisper and entering something which could almost have been considered her normal inside voice. She quickly realized how loud she'd been, and clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Princess party?" Artie asked, glancing back again to see if Quinn was still sleeping. "What's that?"

Avery giggled. "Daddy," she said. "You know today is my princess party!"

"Oh, the PRINCESS party," Artie said, patting the mattress and gesturing for her to crawl under the covers beside him. "Right."

"Can we get up now?" Avery asked. "Can we wake Mommy?"

Artie glanced at the clock. 5:15. The party started at 1.

"Maybe we'd better let her sleep a little longer," he said. "I know you're pretty excited, but do you think you can go back to sleep for a bit if you cuddle with Daddy?"

Avery grinned. "I can try," she said. "If you can't sleep, Daddy, you can just cuddle me," she said, snuggling into his warm arms. "I love you, Daddy."

Artie smiled softly, taking off his glasses, and placing them back on the nightstand. "I love you too, princess."

* * *

><p>By 12:40, Artie and Quinn had most of the party stuff in the room, and had started setting it up. Avery was almost overcome with excitement when she saw the princess decorations, and dresses, and all sorts of other things that were going to make her perfect princess party.<p>

At the sound of someone at the door to the room, Avery turned, and saw her friend, Shannon, and her mother.

As Quinn chatted casually with the woman, Avery went up to Shannon, and took her over to look at some of the decorations on the walls.

"Hi Shannon," she said. "Thank you for coming to my party."

"Who is _that?"_ Shannon asked Avery, pointing at Artie.

"That's my Daddy," she said, grinning at her friend.

"_That's _your dad? What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing," Avery responded, a confused look on her face.

"Well, why is he sitting in that chair?" the other girl asked, pointing again.

Avery looked over and smiled at Artie, before turning back. "Oh, he just can't walk," she said.

"Well then there IS something wrong with him," Shannon said.

Avery frowned. "No there isn't," she said. "He broke his back a long time ago, when he was little, but he's okay now…"

"No he isn't," the girl cut in. "If he was okay, he'd be able to walk," she said, turning and walking away from Avery, over to the rack of princess dresses along the wall.

Avery stood for a moment, biting her lip to keep it from trembling, as she looked over at Artie. Why was Shannon being so mean? She loved her Daddy, and there was nothing wrong with him.

She looked around the room, trying to decide if she should go try and talk to Shannon again, or if she should go closer to her parents. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a little girl with a head of bright red hair talking to her Daddy, and instantly realized who it was.

"Ariel!" she said, hurrying over to greet her friend, leaving her thoughts about what Shannon had said about Artie for later. "Hi!"

"Hi," Ariel said, smiling softly at her, her eyes sparking behind her glasses. "Thank you for inviting me, Avery."

"Thank you for coming to my party!" Avery said, reaching out and taking her friend's hand. "Come see the pretty dresses and princesses on the wall," she added, pointing over to the other side of the room.

Artie watched the two little girls head towards the dresses for a moment, before turning back to Ariel's father, who had introduced himself as Frank, and was now chatting with Quinn.

When Quinn had spotted the little girl and her father coming down the hall, she'd turned to him and said she assumed this was Ariel, because she didn't recognize her. He offered the little girl a warm greeting after she introduced herself, before Avery came running over to say hi and take her to see the party things.

To say that Artie, and Quinn, he later learned, was slightly shocked by the polite little girl was a bit of an understatement. Thoughts racing a mile a minute, he tried to figure out why Avery had never mentioned that her friend had braces on her legs, and also had a quite pronounced speech impediment. And then he realized…for Avery, someone having a disability wasn't something new, or weird, or strange. It was just part of who they were, and therefore, he figured, she probably didn't feel the need to mention it. Ariel was her friend, he thought, as he watched his daughter walk extra slow with her so that she could keep up without even giving it a second thought, and those things were just part of who she was. For Avery, the fact that Ariel had a disability was no different from the fact that she had red hair.

"Ariel was so excited when Avery invited her," Frank said, snapping Artie out of his thoughts. "We've been hearing about her almost every day. About how they always play together and are partners in gym class, and about how Avery is the only person that's never said something mean to Ariel about her CP. It's rare to find kids that are as patient and accepting as Avery is," he went on. "I see now where she's learned those virtues," he added, smiling at Artie.

"She is a pretty neat kid," Artie said, glancing over at the girls, who were standing talking with Shannon. "We've heard about Ariel too," he said, looking to Quinn, who smiled.

"Avery was telling us how she usually picks Ariel to be her partner for gym," Quinn said casually, straitening a stack of napkins. "And how, sometimes, Ariel picks her before she even has a chance to."

Frank grinned, looking over at the little group of girls. "If I looked at the calendar, I could probably tell you the exact day those two met," he said. "It was the first day Ariel came home from school happy. And she's come home happy almost every day since."

Artie beamed with pride, wishing he could just scoop up his little girl and hug her, before deciding that probably wouldn't be the wisest move when she was with her friends.

"So, 4:00?" Frank asked.

Quinn nodded. "We'll be here," she said, as he thanked her, and walked out.

She glanced over at Artie, but he didn't see her…he was too busy watching the little girls interact.

* * *

><p>Once Avery and Ariel had made it over to the dresses, and had started looking at them, Shannon walked up to them.<p>

"What is _she_ doing here?" she asked quietly, looking at Ariel.

"She's my friend," Avery said, confused by the fact that one of her so-called friends was asking her why one of her other friends was at HER birthday party.

Shannon turned to Ariel. "You walk funny," she said. "And you talk funny. There's something wrong with you, just like Avery's dad."

Avery just stared at her, as Shannon gave Ariel a final look, before walking over to the door, where several little girls had materialized in the couple of minutes since Ariel's father left.

"I don't think you walk funny or talk funny," Avery said, turning to Ariel, who looked slightly upset. "I don't know why she said those mean things."

"It's ok," Ariel said. "People are not very nice sometimes."

"But there is nothing wrong with you or with my Daddy," Avery said, before biting her lip.

Ariel reached out, and held her hand. "I know," she said. "She's just mean. Don't cry."

Avery rubbed her eyes. "I won't," she said. "My Daddy doesn't like it when I cry. It makes him sad."

She looked up, and saw Quinn waving at her to come over and greet all her guests.

While the party was for 10 girls, Quinn had only told Avery she could invite 8, because she knew that Ella was a given. She also knew that Avery might be focused on the girls in her class, and might not think of Ella right away, because she was in a different grade. The two girls were like cousins, and Quinn knew that she'd want her there.

Avery wished Ella had been able to make it, but when they had phoned to invite her, Aunty Rachel had said they were going to be out of town that weekend, unfortunately, but they could do something fun together another day to celebrate her birthday. Avery knew Ella wouldn't make fun of her Daddy, or of Ariel. She looked at the other girls, who were smiling and laughing. She had thought Shannon was her friend. What if the other girls were mean now, too? Suddenly she wasn't sure if she even wanted to have her party anymore.

* * *

><p>Artie watched, as the group of little girls excitedly played dress up and got their nails painted by Quinn and one of the ladies from the party place. His gaze travelled very quickly to Avery, who was sitting off to the side, watching them.<p>

"Hey, princess," he said, wheeling up to her. "What's up? Aren't you having fun?"

Avery turned, glancing up at her father. "I'm ok," she said, smiling at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly, turning a bit so that his back was to the party.

She nodded. "I just don't feel like being a princess right now," she said, looking down at the ground.

"Are you tired?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

She nodded again. "But I'm ok, Daddy," she said, standing up. "Maybe I will go be a princess," she said. "Do you think there's a dress that matches my nails?" she asked, holding out her hands, revealing perfectly painted bright pink nails.

"I'm sure we can find one," he said, smiling at her. "Why don't we go have a look?"

* * *

><p>While Quinn was busy painting Hannah's nails bright purple, she kept glancing over, to where Artie and Avery were sitting. She'd noticed Avery sitting off by herself, and was going to go say something to her, but Artie beat her to it.<p>

She watched, as Avery's expression turned from slightly sad to happy again, and within a couple of minutes she was over at the rack of dresses, trying to find the one that was just right.

Once all the little girls were appropriately attired in their princess gear, Quinn lined them up, taking several pictures. After that, they opened presents, and had cake.

Despite the fact that Avery was smiling and talking to her friends again, Quinn could tell that something was still bothering her. She appeared happy, but also withdrawn, and Quinn was starting to get concerned. She had noticed that Avery had tended to hover around Ariel for most of the day, and hadn't really spoken to some of the other girls at all. Which she thought was strange, because Avery was normally such a social, happy little girl.

"Are you ok, sweetie?" she asked her, as she bent down to pick up a stray napkin next to where she and Ariel were sitting, comparing nails.

"I'm ok," Avery said, smiling at her. "Thank you for my princess party."

Quinn grinned at her. "You're welcome," she said. "Are you having fun?"

Avery nodded. "How much longer do we have?" she asked, looking around the room.

"About half an hour," she said. "Then people's parents should start picking them up."

"Ok," Avery said, a look of relief so subtle that Quinn almost missed it, on her face.

* * *

><p>Once the party had ended, and everyone had been picked up, Quinn and Artie finished loading the last of the party things into the back of the van. Once they'd finished, they got in, and headed for home.<p>

Artie had just turned up their street, when he heard a small sniffle in the back seat. He glanced into the rear view mirror, and caught Avery out of the corner of it, rubbing her eyes.

"Are you ok back there, princess?" he asked, glancing over at Quinn, who had already turned around in her seat.

"I'm ok," Avery responded, her voice shaky. "I'm just tired."

Knowing full well that Avery didn't usually cry when she was tired, Artie tried again. "It's ok to say so if you aren't ok," he said. "What's the matter?"

At the question, Avery burst into tears, and Artie was relieved that they had just pulled into the driveway. Once they were stopped, Quinn hopped out of the van to open the door, and before Artie had finished transferring out of the driver's seat and back into his chair, a sobbing Avery was in his lap.

"Hey," he said, softly, wrapping his arms around her, stroking her hair. "It's ok. What's wrong?"

Avery continued to cry for a couple of minutes, while Quinn stood outside the fan, wondering if she should just climb up onto the ramp, and be with them, or if she should give them some space. Finally, Artie emerged from the van, Avery tightly clutching his neck.

Once they were on the ground, Quinn crouched down. "What's wrong, Avery?" she asked.

"I just want my Daddy," Avery said, burying her neck in Artie's neck, her tears beginning to flow again.

Artie and Quinn exchanged a concerned and slightly confused look, as he wrapped his arms around her again, and whispered into her ear.

She nodded in response to something Quinn couldn't hear, and the three of them headed into the house.

"I'm going to put her to bed for a bit," Artie said, wheeling down the hall to Avery's bedroom. Quinn was about to follow, before the phone rang, and she hurried off to answer it.

Once they were in Avery's room, Artie wheeled up to her bed, but the little girl just looked at him, shaking her head.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he tried again, gently, wiping away her tears with his hand, and wishing that he had a tissue.

"I don't want to be friends with Shannon anymore," Avery said, softly. "She's mean."

"Did she say something to you?" Artie asked, his lips twisting in concern.

Avery nodded. "She said…" she trailed off. "Daddy, it was so mean!" she went on, her eyes filling up with tears again.

"What did she say, princess?" he asked softly. "It's ok. You can tell me."

"She said that Ariel walks funny and talks funny, and that there's something wrong with her" Avery whispered. "And she said it to Ariel, and she looked sad. And Daddy, why did she say that? I don't think Ariel walks funny or talks funny. And there isn't anything wrong with her. It was so mean," she finished, tears running down her face.

"Hey," he said, softly, caressing her head as she cried into his shoulder. "Don't cry. It's ok."

"No it's not, Daddy, and she also said..." her words trailed off, as she started sobbing harder.

"What did she say?" he asked gently, wiping away her tears again, wishing there was something he could do to get her to stop crying. He almost wished Quinn would walk in, because maybe she could help console their daughter, before deciding that that might not be the best thing at that moment, as it had been clear that Avery only wanted him.

"She said there was something wrong with you, too," the little girl blurted out, before she started sobbing all over again.

Artie's stomach felt like it fell into his feet, as he sat there, gently whispering into her ear, trying to console her.

Once Avery's tears had lessened, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Daddy, it was so awful," she said. "Shannon said there was something wrong with you, and I said no, then she asked why you were sitting in your chair, and I said that you broke your back a long time ago, but you're ok now, and then she said you're not, or you would be able to walk. Why did she say those mean things? And why did she say those mean things to Ariel?" she asked.

"Maybe she just doesn't know about people like me, or people like Ariel," he said, quietly, wishing he could unleash the rage that was building up inside him on the little girl that had made his baby cry like that, before realizing that probably wasn't appropriate.

"What do you mean?" Avery asked.

"Well," he said, trying to figure out how to word what he was about to say. "Maybe she doesn't understand about people who are…different," he said, wracking his brain, trying to think in terms a six year old would understand. "You know how Ariel has to wear braces on her legs?" he asked.

Avery nodded.

"That's because she has something called cerebral palsy," he said. "Which has caused her to have some problems with walking," he went on, choosing not to mention the little girl's speech impediment for the moment. "It's made it so that she has a bit of a disability. Like I have a disability. And maybe Shannon just doesn't know about that."

"I don't understand," Avery said, nestling into his chest. "What does that mean?"

"It's like…you know how I have to use a wheelchair, because I broke my back when I was little, so I can't walk anymore?" he asked her, hoping that, if he put it in the terms she had used, she would understand.

She nodded.

"And Ariel's is a bit different," he went on. "Because she had some problems when she was being born," he said, wishing he'd worded that slightly differently. "So she was born with her disability. She has always had those differences. And Daddy didn't start having problems until after I broke my back."

"But you and Ariel don't have problems, Daddy," she said, looking into his eyes. "You just have your chair, and Ariel has to wear those things on her legs, and they make her walk slow sometimes. That's not problems."

"They're just differences," he said gently. "But you know what?"

"What?" Avery asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Our differences are what make us special," he said. "Everybody has something different, and that's what makes everybody special."

"Am I special, Daddy?" she asked softly, twirling her hair around her finger.

Artie nodded, choking down the lump he suddenly found in his throat. "You're the most special ever, princess," he said softly, holding her close.

"Daddy," she said quietly, after a moment. "When Shannon said those mean things, Ariel almost wanted to cry. Did kids say mean things to you when you were little?"

He thought for a moment, before deciding it was best to be truthful. "Sometimes they did," he said.

"Did they make you cry?" she whispered, looking into his face.

"Sometimes," he whispered back. "But it's ok," he added, as her tears began to flow freely once more.

She shook her head. "No it's not, Daddy. It just makes me more sad," she said softly, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Shhhh," he said, gently rubbing her back. "It's ok, princess. Don't cry. And don't be sad about that…it was a long time ago. Everything is perfect now, because I have you and Mommy."

She nodded, sniffling, rubbing her face on his already saturated shirt.

They sat for a few minutes, while he continued gently rubbing her back, before she sat up a bit.

"I think it would be a good idea if you had a little nap," he said. "I know it's early, but what do you think?"

"I don't want to have a nap," she said. "I want to stay with you. Are you sad now, Daddy?"

Artie nodded. "I'm sad because you're sad, princess," he said. "But I really think a nap would be a good idea…maybe for both of us. I could stay here with you," he went on, holding her hand as she climbed carefully off his lap. "And we could both have a little nap, together?"

She nodded, before looking over his shoulder and spotting Quinn in the doorway.

"Daddy and I are going to have a nap, Mommy," she said. "Is that ok? Do you want to come too?"

Quinn shook her head, smiling softly at the two. She noticed Avery's tear-streaked face and swollen red eyes, and she also noticed the way Artie's lips were twisted tightly to the side, the way they often were when he was deep in thought, or trying not to show that he was agitated. She made a mental note to ask him about it later that evening, when they were alone. Something must have happened at the birthday party, and she definitely needed to know what it was.

"You two lie down for a bit," she said. "And I'll get started on dinner. How does that sound?"

"Are you sure?" Artie asked. "Because we could just have a big family nap in our bed," he went on. "If you'd prefer that."

Quinn grinned. "Any other day I might take you up on that," she said, a sparkle in her eye. "But for now, I'd better finish putting away the party stuff, and get started on dinner. Rain check?" she asked, nodding over to Avery, who was already half asleep in the bed.

He nodded, forcing a grin back. "Rain check," he said, as he lined up his chair to transfer to her bed. "Thanks, Q."

* * *

><p>Noticing that Artie still had the same expression on his face when they got up as he did when they'd gone to lie down, Quinn decided not to press the issue. She knew he'd tell her what had happened while she'd been on the phone with her mother eventually, and she really didn't want to upset him further.<p>

As they climbed into bed that night, she rested her head gently on his shoulder, as he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.

Artie had been debating telling Quinn what Avery had said, and had decided that he needed a bit more time to process all of it, first. He was just about asleep, when he heard small footsteps enter the room.

"Avery?" he whispered, looking over towards the door, barely able to make out her pink nightie-clad form standing beside the dresser. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

"Can I sleep with you and Mommy?" she whispered, tiptoeing over to the bed. "I had a bad dream, and I just want to sleep with you today."

"Okay," Artie said, without hesitation. "Quinn," he whispered. "Still awake?"

"Mmmm," Quinn said, rolling over. "Hey, sweetie," she said, once she realized Avery was on the bottom of the bed. "Come here," she said, moving over to create a space for their daughter in between them. "Are you ok?"

"I had a bad dream," Avery whispered, snuggling in between them. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Quinn said, gently smoothing Avery's soft hair. "You didn't."

"I love you, Mommy," Avery said, leaning over to kiss her mother on the cheek. "And you too, Daddy," she said, draping herself gently across his chest, and giving him a soft kiss. "Daddy, can I sleep like this?" she asked.

It wasn't the most comfortable position in the world for Artie, but he nodded. "Of course you can," he said, as Quinn arranged the covers to make sure everyone was nice and warm.

"Ok," Avery said. "Daddy, when you have to move your legs, you can just move me," she said, sleepily.

"Ok, princess," he said quietly. "I'll do that if I need to."

* * *

><p>Within a few minutes, Quinn and Avery's soft snores filled the room. Artie, on the other hand, was wide awake, staring at the ceiling.<p>

He couldn't believe that such a young child had said those things to Avery. But, then…he knew how young children were, and after thinking about it for a few minutes, he wasn't surprised anymore.

He had always wondered when something like that would come up, but he'd hoped Avery would be a little older, and better able to understand the explanation given by either himself, or Quinn.

He tried to push the thoughts out of his mind, but they continued to swirl around, before finally coming to the front of the line. What if what Shannon had said to Avery made her look at him differently? What if it made her look at Ariel differently?

He knew that Avery wouldn't feel differently about either of them, because she loved her Daddy, and Ariel was her really good friend, but still…he didn't want those thoughts in her mind. He didn't think a six year old should have to think about those things, and he didn't want her to think about things he knew would just make her sad.

He silently cursed the fact that he was paralyzed, because he knew that, if he wasn't, Avery would never have had to deal with something like what had happened at her party. He almost felt like it was his fault that she hadn't had fun, even though he knew that was slightly ridiculous. But, he reasoned, if he could walk, that would have meant that that rude little girl would never have said those things to Avery. And it would also have meant that he would have been able to give his family another child, or children, if that was what they decided on, without having to seek medical help and watch the expression on Quinn's face when the procedures failed. He didn't know how many more times he could see that, and he hoped that the last one they had done, would stick.

As he looked down at Avery's small head, rising and falling gently each time he took a breath, the anger welling up inside of him subsided. He glanced over at Quinn, noticing that her hand was wrapped gently around Avery's, and smiled softly.

He'd told Avery earlier that people's differences made them special, and decided that he should have worded it differently. For him, the fact that he had a disability (or difference, as he'd described it to Avery) wasn't what made him special…that was mostly just a nuisance. What made Artie special, in his mind, was that he had the best family anyone could ever ask for.

He really wished that he could provide for them the way he thought he should be able to, and the fact that he couldn't broke his heart.

He glanced over at the clock, squinting to read the large numbers. 1:58. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know…longest chapter ever. So long, in fact, that I wrote part of it on Thursday night, and the rest on Friday…and I NEVER do that. Usually, if I sit down to write…I write until I'm done.**

**I was going to dedicate this chapter to Megan, before I read it over again, and realized that we probably wrote 90% of this together, so…this chapter is a collaboration with Megan (aka GLEEful Heart). **

**But that doesn't mean it's not dedicated to you too, yo! ;)**

**I hope everyone enjoyed! The next chapter is mostly planned out in my mind, so it should be up in the next few days.**

**And it probably won't be much shorter than this one is.**


	12. Chapter 12

Artie glanced at the clock. He knew the alarm would go off in two minutes, so he turned it off so it wouldn't wake Quinn and Avery.

He put on his glasses, and looked over, smiling softly at what he saw. Avery was lying curled up next to Quinn, who had her arm around her. They looked so peaceful.

As he went to get up to head to the bathroom, he noticed that his entire body ached. He assumed it was just from not shifting himself enough in the night. Despite the fact that he knew Avery wouldn't have minded if he moved her…he just couldn't bring himself to actually do that, when she was clearly sleeping comfortably. The day before had been a rough one for her, and he just wanted her to get a good sleep. As a consequence, he had spent much of the night in basically the same position, which was never a good thing.

Once he was out of bed, he sat for a moment, feeling lightheaded and extremely tired. Which made sense, he mused, as he headed for the bathroom. He hadn't slept for most of the night. Of course he was tired. And tiredness was sometimes accompanied by lightheadedness, right?

After a couple of minutes, the feeling of being lightheaded passed, and he decided he was good to go.

* * *

><p>"Are we there yet?" Avery asked, glancing out the window.<p>

Quinn grinned. "Not yet, sweetie. Remember, we have to pick up Grandma first?"

"Oh," Avery said. "I forgot."

"We're almost at her house," Artie said, glancing into the rearview mirror and catching Avery's eye. "And after that we'll be almost at the zoo!"

"Yay!" Avery said, smiling. "I love the zoo!"

* * *

><p>"How was your princess party yesterday?" Judy asked, once they were in the van and ready to go.<p>

"It was good," Avery said quietly. "My friends were there."

"And you had fun with your friends?" Judy asked again, smiling at her granddaughter.

Avery nodded. "Yes," she said, softly.

Judy asked her a few more questions, and eventually Avery started talking about The Little Mermaid, something that always excited her.

Figuring that neither Avery nor her mother would hear, she leaned over to Artie. "Are you going to tell me what happened yesterday?" she asked, softly. "It doesn't have to be right now, but you will…right?"

"Oh…" Artie said. "She was just tired. It was a long day."

"I know a long day didn't make her cry uncontrollably for almost an hour," Quinn whispered back. "We'll talk about it later, ok?"

He gave a small, noncommittal nod, focusing his attention on the road. "You told Mom 11:00, right?" he asked, glancing down at the clock on the dash.

"Yes," Quinn said, looking out the window. She didn't want to press the issue with Avery and her mother in the car, but part of her was a little irritated at the fact that Artie wouldn't talk about what had gone on after the party. It must have been something that had really upset him, she reasoned, or he would have talked about it with her.

Not that he'd been talking about anything with her in recent months, she thought, but most of that had been about him, and about their continuing efforts to try and have another baby. It was different when it was about Avery. He always said that they were both her parents, and therefore should both talk about anything that had to do with her.

As Artie took the turnoff for the zoo, her thoughts suddenly drifted to the procedure they'd had done a couple of weeks previously. It had to have worked. The third time was the charm, wasn't that what everyone always said?

She hoped for both their sakes that it had been a success. She knew that she would be alright if it didn't work. Of course, she would be devastated, but she also knew that they could try again, and eventually something would work. It was Artie she was concerned about. She didn't know how many more failed attempts he could take before he snapped. Especially since he almost never talked about how he was feeling about the entire situation. She was worried about it, and worried about him. If he'd just talk to her, she thought, they could get through the whole thing relatively unscathed.

When she had been doing laundry, she'd found the card that she had seen Dr. Scott hand him after their appointment. It was for a counsellor at the clinic. She had placed it discreetly in his nightstand, hoping that he'd find it, think he placed it there himself, and decide to book an appointment. If he wouldn't talk about it in detail with her…maybe he'd talk about it with the counsellor.

She hoped he would call and make an appointment.

But she knew he wouldn't.

* * *

><p>Once they'd parked at the zoo, and everyone was out of the van, they headed over to the main gate, where they were going to meet Beth, Steve, and Linds.<p>

Avery spotted them before anyone else did, and started jumping up and down and waving to them. Once everyone had exchanged hellos and hugs, they paid for their admission, and started their tour of the zoo.

"Daddy, can I sit with you?" Avery asked, almost as soon as they were inside.

He smiled, and nodded at her. "Of course you can," he said, patting his leg. "You know you can always come hang out with me."

The little girl beamed, as she situated herself in his lap.

As they slowly made their way through the zoo, Artie never had less than three sets of eyes on him. Quinn and Beth watched him constantly, Quinn looking for some clue or sign of SOMETHING that he was feeling, and Beth wondering if he was alright, because he seemed a little sluggish and pale. Periodically, Linds would glance over at her brother, wondering what was going on, because he didn't seem to be himself, and Steve would glance over, checking to make sure that they were all still together.

"Why don't you come with me so we can get a better look at the baby koalas?" Linds asked Avery at one point, holding out her hand.

"I think I'll just stay with Daddy," Avery replied. "We can see them from here."

* * *

><p>"Is everything alright?" Beth asked Quinn, as they washed their hands, side by side, in the cramped zoo washroom. "You look a little worried, and Artie and Avery just seem…off," she said, a look of concern on her face.<p>

"I don't know," Quinn said. She had debated not saying anything, before she decided that she would. "I don't know what's going on. Something happened yesterday at the party…but neither of them will talk about it."

Beth nodded. "Artie was never much for talking about what's bothering him," she said. "And I suspect Avery's inherited that as well."

Quinn shrugged, looking slightly defeated. "I know," she said. "I just wish that he would talk about something, sometimes. He's like some sort of high security vault," she went on. "And I feel like I don't know the combination. And like it's my job to know it, because I'm his wife, and I love him. I mean…we've been together in one form or another for ten years. Surely I should know something by now?"

"Hey," Beth said, putting her arm around her. "He's been my son for almost 27 years, and I still don't know the combination. Now, we'd better get out there, before someone sends in a search party," she added.

Quinn couldn't help but grin at the image of someone sending in the search party, which would more than likely consist of Avery and Linds.

When they emerged from the washroom, they spotted the rest of the group immediately. Artie and Steve appeared to be in deep discussion about something, and Judy, Linds, and Avery were sitting on a bench, talking about the peacocks that were walking around the zoo. Quinn went over to join them on the bench, while Beth stepped beside her husband, who immediately put his arm around her.

"Are you feeling ok, sweetie?" she asked Artie, noticing that he looked even paler than before, and was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Right," Beth said, looking down at him.

"Ok," he said, sheepishly. "I'm a little tired…I didn't sleep very well last night. But I'm fine, Mom." He added, grinning up at her. "Really."

Despite the fact that she wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer, there was nothing Beth could do but accept it, because Avery was back, climbing into his lap.

"Daddy, can we go see the hippos now?" she asked, somewhat impatiently. "They're my favourite."

He grinned. "We can go see them right now, I think," he said. "And you know they're my favourite too."

* * *

><p>Once they'd visited all the corners of the zoo, some more than once, because Avery insisted they had to see the hippos, pandas, koalas, and roe deer more than once, they headed for the petting zoo area.<p>

"Baby goats!" Avery squealed, as they approached the gate. "Daddy, can we go pet them?"

"I think Aunty Linds wants to take you to do that," he said. "How about you go with her?"

"But I wanted to stay with you," she said, looking back at him. "Can you come too?"

Artie glanced inside, noting that it was fairly crowded, and there wasn't really that much room.

"How about you and Aunty Linds go in," he said, "and Mommy and I will wait out here. I think she wants to take some more pictures of you, and I might have to help her."

"Ok," Avery said, climbing off his lap and reaching for Linds's hand.

Quinn and Artie watched from beside the fence, as Linds and Avery made their way through the crowded enclosure, over to the baby goats that had caught Avery's attention.

Beth, Steve, and Judy sat on a bench on the other side of the path, watching their granddaughter laugh and hug the little goat that was licking her face.

"Do you think that's sanitary?" Judy asked Beth, wondering if she should be pulling out her hand sanitizer to clean Avery off when they were done.

"I'm sure it's fine," Beth said, grinning at her. "All three of our kids ALWAYS ended up being licked by goats, lambs, or whatever else was in there whenever we came here, and no one ever got sick."

"Well, Artie did once," Steve said. "But that was because he was allergic to something in there. Not because he let them all lick him."

As they carried on their conversation, Beth glanced over at Quinn and Artie, who appeared to be deep in a conversation of their own.

"Artie," Quinn said, as she snapped a picture of Avery and Linds. "I really wish you'd talk to me about what happened yesterday."

"Nothing happened yesterday," Artie muttered. "She was tired. I was tired. We had a nap."

"Artie," she tried again. "She cried for almost an hour. And you looked like you wanted to murder someone. Did something happen at the party? Did someone say something to her?"

He shook his head.

"Are you feeling ok?" she asked. "You're so pale, and you look like you're completely exhausted."

"I didn't sleep very well last night," he said. "But it's fine. I'm just tired. More importantly…are you feeling ok? Any signs that the last…procedure worked or didn't work?"

"I'm feeling perfectly fine," she said, not satisfied with the way he'd shifted the conversation off of himself and over to her. "No signs of anything yet. It's still a bit early."

He nodded. He was just about to say something else to her, when Avery came running to the fence.

"Did you see me with that baby goat?" she asked, jumping up and down. "Did you take a picture?"

Quinn nodded, grinning at her daughter.

Once Avery was satisfied that they were finished at the petting zoo, they headed for the exit, where they temporarily parted ways, so that they could make the short trip back to Beth and Steve's house, for dinner.

* * *

><p>"I don't need to lie down," Artie muttered, as Quinn grabbed a pillow from the other end of the couch, and pushed it towards him. He knew that he really should, because he was exhausted and sore. He also suspected that he might be running a bit of a fever, but no one needed to know that.<p>

"You do," she said. "You're exhausted. Avery and I are going to go play in the back yard with Bailey and Linds, your mom is going in the kitchen, and your dad…I don't know. But everyone's going to leave you alone so you can have a nap before dinner. Blanket, or no blanket?" she asked.

"I don't need a blanket," he said. "Because I'm not having a nap."

"I want to stay with my Daddy," Avery said, climbing into his lap.

"Daddy's going to have a nap," Quinn said. "Why don't we go play outside with Bailey?" They had decided that they'd better grab Bailey after the zoo before they headed over to Beth and Steve's, so he wouldn't be lonely.

"But I want to stay with him," the little girl repeated. "We have naps together all the time."

"Why don't you come help me in the kitchen, sweetie?" Beth asked, standing up. "I need to finish making the cake, and I'm pretty sure I need a helper."

"But…" Avery trailed off, glancing from her father, who gave a little nod, to her grandmother. "Ok," she said, climbing off the couch. "I can come."

"And you," Quinn said, turning back to Artie, as he grudgingly situated himself on the couch. "Sleep. I'll come wake you up before dinner."

"I don't need a nap," he muttered again, as she gently tucked the blanket around him. Before he could protest any more, he was asleep.

* * *

><p>"Grandma, can I lick this?" Avery asked, holding out one of the beaters Beth had taken out of the mixer, and handed to her.<p>

"Of course," she said, smiling. "That's why I gave it to you!"

"Oh, ok," the little girl said, as she started carefully licking the whipped cream.

"How was your party yesterday?" Beth asked, as she watched Quinn and Linds casually tossing a ball for Bailey in the back yard, trying to tire him out before dinner.

"It was good," Avery responded softly, looking down at her feet, dangling from the tall kitchen stool she'd climbed onto. "My friends came."

"Is everything ok?" Beth asked, putting down the knife she'd been using to spread the whipped cream on the inside of the cake. "Sweetie?"

Avery looked up at her grandma, her eyes tearing up. "Shannon said something that made me sad," she said. "So I'm not friends with her anymore. She said mean things."

"What kind of mean things?" Beth asked, sitting down beside her granddaughter.

"Mean things," Avery repeated, looking away.

Beth reached out, taking her hand. "It's ok, sweetie," she said softly. "You can tell me."

"She said there was something wrong with Ariel, because she has to wear things on her legs," she said. "Daddy told me why, but I don't remember the name. And she said those things to Ariel, and it made me so sad, Grandma," she finished.

"Hey," Beth said, stroking her hair, as a few stray tears ran down Avery's cheeks. She hadn't really heard much about Ariel, only that she and Avery played together at school every day, and she made a note to ask Artie or Quinn about it later. "Don't cry."

"But Grandma," the little girl said, rubbing her eyes. "She said more mean things. About my Daddy."

Beth's heart stopped for a moment, as she reached out, pulling Avery off of the stool and onto her lap. "What did she say, sweetie?" she asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"She said that there's something wrong with Daddy," Avery whispered, burying her head in Beth's neck. "She said he's not okay, because he can't walk and has to use his chair. And I didn't want to tell Daddy what she said, because I didn't want him to be sad. But then…I did," she went on. "And Grandma, he looked so sad, and then he hugged me and I cried a lot," she said. "And it makes him sad when I cry," she finished rubbing her face on Beth's shoulder.

"Shhhh," Beth said to her, gently rocking her back and forth. "It's ok, sweetie." She blinked rapidly, trying to prevent the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes from falling. She knew that, if Avery saw her crying, it would just make her sadder. "You know what I think?" she asked, after a moment.

"What?" Avery asked back, leaning back slightly so she could see her grandma's face.

"I think your daddy is pretty much perfect," she said, quietly. "That little girl just didn't know what she was talking about. And you know what?" she asked, gently wiping the tears from Avery's face.

"What?" Avery asked, again.

"He loves you, and that's more important that what some little girl thinks," she said, hugging Avery close to her. "Right?"

Avery nodded. "I love my daddy too," she said.

* * *

><p>"Aren't you hungry?" Quinn whispered to Artie, leaning over. She'd been watching him play with the food on his plate for the last half hour.<p>

"Not really," he said, casually. "I guess I'm still full from lunch, and the ice cream. Remember…Avery got full, so I finished hers because it was melting?"

"But when I asked you at lunch," Quinn said softly, trying not to draw attention to their conversation, as everyone around the table talked about various things. "You said that you were still full from breakfast. And all you had for breakfast was a glass of juice and that breakfast bar thing, so I know that's not true. Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm fine," he said, piling his fork with potatoes, as if to prove that point. "I said I'm still full from lunch."

Quinn didn't want to press the subject, but she wasn't quite ready to let it go. "You didn't even eat a whole sandwich at lunch," she said, softly. "And I know you like your mom's sandwiches better than anyone else's. Usually you could eat about three of those AND your ice cream AND Avery's, and still eat dinner a few hours later."

"I said I'm fine," he muttered. "Seriously."

"If you say so," Quinn said, entirely unconvinced that he was as fine as he claimed to be. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that he was as white as a sheet, and that his cheeks were burning red, usually a sign that he wasn't feeling well, and maybe getting sick.

After another twenty minutes or so of conversation around the dinner table, everyone had finished the cake Avery had decided should be served immediately following the meal.

"I'll clear the dishes," Artie said, reaching for a stack of plates and placing them in his lap.

"Here, let me help," Quinn said, getting up.

"It's ok," Artie said, turning back to her. "I've got them. Why don't you and Linds go see if you can find that photo album I was talking about the other day? The one with the pictures from our prom, so Avery can see?" he said.

Quinn, realizing he wasn't going to change his mind, nodded, and turned to Linds, who got up from the table and led her into Artie's old room, where she thought the album might be.

"Grandpa," Avery said, wandering over to Steve. "Can we go play outside with Bailey?"

"We sure can!" Steve said, getting up from the table, exchanging a glance with his wife and son, to confirm that that was alright.

Once they had left, Artie headed towards the kitchen, a stack of plates on his lap. Beth followed.

"Are you ok, honey?" she asked, once he'd transferred the stack from his lap to the counter.

"I'm fine," Artie said. "Why?"

"You just seem a little off," Beth said, delicately. He probably wouldn't be receptive to her if she just bluntly told him that she thought he should see a doctor, and that Avery had told her what happened at and after the party.

"I didn't sleep very well last night," he muttered, heading to the dishwasher, and pulling it open.

Beth walked over beside him, and closed it.

"But I was going to…" he trailed off, turning to her.

"What's going on?" Beth asked, softly. "Did something happen? With Quinn? Avery? Sweetie, I can tell something is wrong. Come on, talk to your mom about it. Please?"

Artie blinked a couple of times, a look of defeat spreading across his features.

"Just something at the party yesterday," he muttered. "One of those little animals made Avery cry."

Despite the fact that Beth was on the verge of tears once again, the fact that her son had just referred to little girls as little animals brought a small smile to her face.

"I think they're called little girls," she said, leading him over to the small kitchen table, and sitting down to face him.

"Or animals," he muttered. "She told Avery's friend Ariel that there was something wrong with her because she wears leg braces and has a bit of a speech impediment," he said, once Beth was seated. "She has CP," he explained. "Avery's been friends with her all year, and she never once mentioned any of that. It's like she didn't even really notice, until Shannon pointed it out to her. It upset her a lot."

Beth nodded, hoping he'd go on. She couldn't believe he'd started talking that easily. Which only confirmed her suspicion further that he was unwell.

"I can see why that would upset her," she said, trying to think of something which might get him to go on. "It upset you too, didn't it? Seeing her sad like that?"

Artie nodded. "I can't believe she made her feel like that," he whispered. "Especially at her birthday. It broke my heart. She was so excited about the whole thing."

"What did Quinn say?" she asked, reaching out and taking his hand, which felt a little warmer than she thought it should have.

"She doesn't know," he said, softly. "I…there's more, and I don't want her to know any of it. It'll just upset her."

"More?" Beth asked, thinking that a direct route might get him to talk faster than continuing to sidestep the issue. "What do you mean?"

"That…girl told Avery that there's also something…" he trailed off, mumbling the rest.

"Something what, sweetie?" Beth asked. "It's ok."

"Something wrong with me," he muttered. "Which is true, I guess. But Avery's never seen it like that. And I didn't need her to learn about things like this from that little moron."

"There is nothing wrong with you," Beth said, softly. "You're Avery's hero, and nothing could ever change that."

"Well," he said softly, looking down. "She did have a point. I mean…not exactly like the other daddies over here," he muttered, wishing he'd stop talking, but unable to actually make his lips stop moving. "You know…the ones that can run around in the back yard with their kids, and teach them how to ride a bike."

"Oh, sweetie," Beth said, biting her lip to prevent herself from bursting into tears.

"It's true," he went on. "That's not even what's bothering me the most though, Mom," he said. "I mean…the fact that she had to be that upset about anything in the first place almost breaks me, but you know what's worst about this whole thing?"

Beth looked into his eyes, as a single tear slid down his cheek.

"The worst thing," he said, so quietly that she almost couldn't hear, "is that now all I can think about is how terrible Avery must feel, knowing that her Daddy is broken. And don't say that I'm not, because I am. I can't be as good a father to her as I should be, and I can't even give Quinn another baby. Maybe we should just stop trying, because I'm obviously not good enough for that anyway," he finished, looking away so she wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.

They sat in silence for a minute, tears pouring down Beth's cheeks, as she watched him try to regain his composure.

"Sweetie, I don't think you know how wrong you are," she said, finally, reaching out and wrapping her arms around him. "Never think any of those things," she whispered into his ear. "Never."

He nodded softly, wrapping his arms around his mother, struggling to keep them there. They just felt so heavy.

"Have you talked to Quinn about any of this?" she asked gently, once they'd both calmed down a bit.

He shook his head. "I can't," he whispered. "I'm supposed to be strong, and take charge of the situation, and protect her and Avery. And I can't do any of those things right now, and it's tearing me apart. I don't want her to know."

"But you have to talk to her eventually," Beth responded, hoping everyone would stay out of the kitchen just a little longer. "She's your wife, and she loves you. You have to talk to her."

"I know," he said, sitting up a little straighter. "Just not today," he added. "We should finish the dishes before they come back."

When Beth was on her feet, he leaned forward slightly, wrapping his arms around her waist, and pressing the side of his face into her side. "Thanks, Mom," he whispered softly. "Talking to you always helps."

Once he'd broken their embrace, Beth reached out, cupping his cheek in her hand. "Sweetie, you're really warm," she said. "Are you sure you're alright? Are you feeling sick?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine," he said, as he released the brake on his chair and prepared to head over to the counter. "It's all good."

* * *

><p>Shortly after they got home, and had tucked Avery into bed, Artie announced that he was going to bed as well. By the time Quinn made it to the bedroom, he had somehow managed to finish up in the bathroom, get to bed, and pass out.<p>

As Quinn covered him properly with the blanket he'd managed to only pull halfway up his body, she noticed that his face was really flushed. She watched for a moment, as his chest rose and fell, a little faster than normal, before reaching out and gently placing the back of her hand on his forehead.

He was definitely running a fever, she thought to herself. She wondered if she should wake him up and give him something, or see about taking him to see a doctor, but then decided that he probably wouldn't want either of those things, and that she would just let him sleep, and see how he was in the morning. If it got worse in the night, she could always wake him, and take him to see someone.

Once she was certain that he was alright, she headed into the bathroom. After a couple of minutes, the suspicions she'd been having all day were confirmed. She'd been having some cramping, and the little voice inside her head had been telling her what was going on, but she didn't listen to it, and she didn't tell anyone, because she hoped that maybe she was wrong.

As she discarded the wrapper from the feminine product she'd grabbed from the small cabinet in the trash can, she thought about Artie.

She couldn't wake him and tell him, she thought. But she'd tell him first thing in the morning. Maybe it was time for them to try something else.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know…another LONG chapter! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope it was worth the wait!**

**I know…not too much Quartie in this one, but we have MAJOR Quartie coming up, and major developments on all fronts, so please be sure to stay tuned!**

**As was the case with the last chapter, this was basically co-written with one of my partners in crime (Megan). Thank you! :D**


	13. Chapter 13

Artie awoke with a start. He groaned slightly, reaching over for his glasses, and surveying the room. There was nothing.

He started to turned a bit, to see if Quinn was still asleep, and stopped suddenly when it felt like someone was stabbing him in the back with a flaming pitchfork.

He knew he should probably have seen a doctor several days earlier, but, with everything that was going on, that was not high on his list of priorities, even though he knew that it should have been.

As he transferred to his chair, he shivered, knowing full well that he definitely had a fever. Maybe, after Quinn and Avery were up, he'd go see someone about it, and get some antibiotics.

He felt dizzy as he made his way to the bathroom, but decided it would probably pass. He just needed to eat something, or have a drink, or…something.

As his shaky, weak hands opened the catheter package he'd been staring at for a minute or so, he thought about the conversation he'd had with his mother the previous evening. She was right…he needed to talk to Quinn. About everything. Even though that was one of the last things he wanted to do. He didn't want her to know how vulnerable he was feeling. He was supposed to be strong. And he was failing at that.

Once he'd finished, he turned to make his way to the trash can, when he was suddenly overcome by an intense wave of nausea…which quickly became more than just feeling sick.

* * *

><p>At the sound of Artie retching in the bathroom, Quinn quickly awoke, and sat up. She knew he was sick. She should have taken him to the doctor.<p>

When his alarm went off in the night, to alert him to shift position, he had slept right through it. After a minute or so, Quinn had gently nudged him to wake him up, but all she got was a faint murmur that she couldn't even understand.

Finally, she'd decided to take matters into her own hands, and had gently helped him roll onto his other side, making sure that everything was positioned the way it should be. As she'd carefully adjusted the pillow between his knees, and made sure that he was properly balanced, he had groaned softly, as if he were in pain. She had gently rubbed his back, noticing once more how hot his entire body was.

She knew she should have tried to wake him up to take him to the hospital, or called for an ambulance if her attempts at waking him were unsuccessful. But she hadn't, because she knew that he would be adamant about waiting until the next morning, because he didn't want Avery to worry, and that way they could have arranged for her to go to either grandparents' house, or to Rachel and Puck's. She knew that it would stress him out so much, that it'd probably end up making him sicker. If that was even possible.

Listening to his continuous retching in the bathroom, she regretted her decision. She should have made him go in the night. She'd make him go as soon as possible.

She got up, and hurried out into the hallway to make sure Avery's door was closed before she checked on him. The last thing she needed at that moment was Avery crying because her Daddy was sick. She had to convince him to go to the hospital…and she knew that wouldn't happen if Avery were there.

Once she'd confirmed that the door was closed, she hurried to the bathroom, gently pushing open the door. She stepped inside, and found Artie sitting in front of the waste basket, the items he'd meant to throw away before he was sick clenched tightly in his hand.

"Artie, we need to go-" she started, before he cut her off.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing at the garbage can. "When the hell were you going to tell me? Or were you even going to?"

"Artie, I just got it last night," she said softly, moving toward him. "You were already asleep. It was clear that you weren't feeling well, so I didn't want to wake you-" she went on, before he cut her off again.

"Damn it, woman! Didn't want to wake me? What the hell are you talking about? That damned…thing didn't work AGAIN, and you don't think it's worth it to wake me to tell me?"

"But babe-" she started again, her eyes filling with tears, before he cut her off for the third time.

"Don't call me that," he said, the volume of his voice rising. "I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"I…what?" Quinn asked, looking confused, and trying hard not to cry.

"What," he went on, his face growing redder. "Because I'm not enough of a man to just knock you up like anyone else could, that gives you the right to just not tell me these things? I know I'm not exactly anyone's ideal husband, but I thought that was ok with you," he yelled. "But apparently not, or you wouldn't keep things like this from me! I'm crippled, not stupid!"

"But-" Quinn said, before he cut her off again. She was getting worried. The words that were coming out of his mouth didn't really make sense, and they were so unlike the Artie that she knew. The Artie that she'd known for so many years. His eyes weren't even really looking at her. It was like they were looking through her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, even though she was almost two feet away from him. She wondered if she should step back, before she decided that she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't become violent and lash out at her.

"Stop saying that!" he yelled. "Just be quiet. I know you and Avery deserve more than I could ever give you, but that doesn't give you the right to keep these things from me!"

Quinn was about to say something to him, to try and calm him down, when Avery peeked into the bathroom, holding a stuffed animal.

"Daddy?" she whispered, eyes wide. "Why are you yelling at Mommy?"

"Avery, go to your room please," he said, his words firm, and tight. "Now."

"But Daddy," Avery tried again, her eyes filling with tears. "What's wrong? I'm sorry!"

Quinn turned to her. "It's ok, sweetie," she said. "Daddy just needs some time to calm down. Why don't you go play in your room for a bit, and we'll come get you in a little while?"

Avery nodded, a tear running down her cheek, as she looked back to Artie, who looked away when her eyes met his. Feeling slightly crushed, she headed out of their room, and into hers, where she sat down on the bed with Bailey, and cried.

"I know you're angry, and not feeling well," Quinn said quietly, moving closer to him and placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "But you don't need to take it out on your daughter. That's not like you, Artie."

"I don't even see how it's possible that she is my daughter," he muttered. "Not after everything that's gone on the last few months."

Quinn just stared at him, the words cutting into her like a knife. She had known how he was feeling about the whole situation, but what he had said wasn't something that had ever entered her mind. And she didn't think it would ever enter his, either. But apparently they had. She knew that he knew that she had never been unfaithful to him. That she would never be unfaithful to him. Just like she knew the same things about him.

"Get out of my way," he said, moving his hands down onto the rims of his chair. "I'm leaving."

"No," Quinn said, through her tears. "Artie, you're sick, I have to take you to-"

"I said get out of my way," he said, tersely. "I'm fine. And I'm leaving."

Quinn held her ground.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he yelled, moving forward, so that her only option was to step out of the way.

She watched helplessly, as he struggled to put on a pair of shoes and grabbed a jacket. She wanted to reach out, to stop him. But, for the first time in all the years they'd been together, she was afraid of him.

Once he was finished, he rolled out of their bedroom and down the hall, without uttering a single word. She heard him grab the keys to the van off the table beside the door, and slam the door behind him on his way out.

She knew that it would take him a few minutes to get into the van. She knew she should go after him and stop him. And call an ambulance, if he wasn't willing to go to the hospital with her. The final thought that ran through her mind, as she heard the van's engine start, was that he shouldn't be driving in the condition he was in. She ran to the door, but it was too late. He was gone.

* * *

><p>As Artie sat in the driveway, waiting for the van's ramp to lower, he cursed everything. Himself, because he wasn't a good enough husband and father, and he'd made both his wife and daughter cry. His disability, because it was the reason for all of his problems. The van, because it was taking forever and making a speedy exit impossible. The driver of the other car, for not finishing the job he'd started on that fateful day, 18 years earlier. Maybe that would just have been better for everyone.<p>

A small voice in the back of his mind told him that he was being ridiculous. That he should go back inside, and apologize, and then go see a doctor. But he couldn't…it was much too late for that.

Once he'd hauled himself into the driver's seat, with great difficulty, he gave one final look to the house. If Quinn really loved him, he thought, as he backed out, she would have tried to stop him.

He didn't know where he was going, but he had to get away from there.

* * *

><p>"Beth, is Artie there?" Quinn asked, softly, the phone clenched to the side of her head, her voice shaky.<p>

"Quinn?" Beth asked, her voice filling with concern. "No, he isn't. What's wrong?"

"We had an argument, and he left," Quinn said, trying to be certain that Avery couldn't hear her. She hadn't come out of her room yet, and Quinn was about to go get her, once she was off the phone. "He's really sick, and he said all sorts of things I know he didn't mean, and then he left with the van…and I have to go find him," she went on. "Could I bring Avery to your house?"

"Of course, sweetie," Beth said, growing worried. "When did he leave? Is it possible that he's on his way here?"

"Oh," Quinn said, realizing that he wouldn't be there yet if that was where he was headed. "Less than ten minutes ago. I'm going to get Avery ready, and then we're coming over…could you call me if he shows up there?" she asked.

"Of course," Beth said. "Are you ok to drive?" she asked, noticing that Quinn's voice got shakier, the longer she was on the phone.

"I'm fine," Quinn said. "I just want to find him."

Once they'd hung up, Quinn opened Avery's door slowly, and peered inside. Avery was sitting on her bed, gently stroking Bailey.

"Mommy," Avery said, getting off the bed and wrapping herself around Quinn's legs. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Oh sweetie, there's nothing to be sorry about," Quinn said, crouching down and wrapping her arms around their daughter, who had started to cry. "This isn't your fault."

"But I told Daddy things that made him sad," the little girl said, clinging tightly to Quinn's neck. "I know that's why he yelled at me."

"What did you tell him?" Quinn asked, as they picked out some clothes for Avery to wear.

"Someone at my birthday said mean things," Avery said, wiping her tears. "And I knew it would make Daddy sad, but then I told him, and it did make him sad, and it made me sad," she said, blue eyes staring at her mother. "I'm sorry, Mommy. And now Daddy yelled at you and ran away, and it's my fault," she finished, sobbing.

"Hey," Quinn said softly, reaching out and taking her hand, pulling her closer. "Don't be sorry, sweetie. It's ok, and not your fault. I'm going to take you to Grandma and Grandpa's, and then I'm going to go find him and bring him back, ok?"

Avery nodded, a sad look on her face.

Once Quinn had Avery and Bailey safely in the car, they headed in the directions of Beth and Steve's house.

* * *

><p>"He's not here?" Quinn asked, before Beth even had the door open, a panicked look on her face. "I thought he might come here," she said, quietly, as they stepped inside. "Thank you for looking after Avery," she said. "I have to go find him now."<p>

"I'll go too, honey," Beth said, reaching for her coat. "Avery can stay with Steve, and with two of us looking, we'll find him faster. There aren't that many red vans like that one with wheelchair placards and princess air fresheners hanging from the mirror."

Despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to burst into hysterical tears, Quinn smiled at Beth's statement. When Avery had picked out the air freshener, Quinn had protested, because she knew that it would probably make Artie's allergies act up, and she didn't think he'd want to have a princess hanging from his mirror, anyway. But Avery had been insistent, and so they'd purchased it for him, as a gift. When she had presented it to him, he'd looked so thrilled, and had promptly announced that he would hang it in the van…as soon as it had had a couple of days to hang outside from a tree branch, to "make it smell even better," according to him. Quinn knew he'd hung it out there with hopes that the rather strong scent would be greatly lessened, before he hung it in the van. That had been somewhat successful, but he'd still come home with a plugged nose, for several weeks, before the scent had mostly worn off. After a while, it didn't smell at all. And he left it hanging on his mirror, because Avery had given it to him.

"I don't know where he'd go if he's not here," Quinn said, once they were outside. She turned, waving goodbye to Avery and Steve, who were standing at the window. "I'd like to think he's taken himself to the hospital, but I know he hasn't."

Beth thought for a moment. "Does he have any friends he might go to? Puck? AJ? Martin?"

Quinn shook her head. "He hasn't talked to any of them for weeks," she said. "He's been so depressed, and frustrated. He won't even talk to me…I doubt if he'd go to any of them. Not right now."

"Tell you what," Beth said, approaching her car. "You go that way," she said, pointing, "And I'll go the other way. We'll just drive around everywhere. He can't have gone that far."

Quinn nodded. "I really need him to be ok," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "I should have stopped him. What if he had an accident? What if he's in a ditch somewhere?"

"Hey," Beth said, walking over to her, and wrapping her arms around her. "We're going to find him, and he's going to be ok," she said. "Call me the minute you find him," she added. "And I'll call you, too."

* * *

><p>Artie drove around for a little while, before realizing that he should stop, the feeling of lightheadness starting to overwhelm him. As he drove by a familiar park, he slowed, pulling into the parking lot. Once he'd stopped the van, he transferred himself back into his chair, looking around the seat behind him, before he found what he was looking for. If he was going to be there, then he might as well do what he always did there.<p>

He grabbed the package of goldfish crackers, left over from their trip to the zoo, and placed it in his lap. Feeding the ducks at that pond always made him happy when he was younger, he reasoned, as he exited the van. Maybe it would help then, too.

* * *

><p>After half an hour of driving around, neither Quinn nor Beth saw any vehicles even close to resembling the bright red van. When Artie had insisted they get a red one, Quinn hadn't been too thrilled, because she thought a darker colour would have been better. But now that she needed to find him…she thanked God that he had been so insistent on the colour. It would definitely make him easier to spot.<p>

She pulled over, reaching for her cell phone, and called Beth.

"Have you found him?" she whispered, when Beth answered.

"No I haven't, sweetie," she said. "There's one more part of town I haven't checked. I'll do that, and call you if I find him.

Once they'd hung up, Quinn took her car back onto the road. She had to find him. Beth had to find him. She didn't care who found him…as long as he was safe.

* * *

><p>Beth slowed as she drove by one of the neighbourhood parks, in case there were children on the road. Much to her surprise, she spotted the bright red van, the lone occupant of the parking lot at the small park.<p>

She pulled in, parking beside the van, and quickly spotted her son, sitting next to a bench, down by the pond.

She quickly picked up her phone, and sent Quinn a text, deciding that would be faster than calling her. "I've got him," the text read. "Go back to Avery…will be there soon."

Artie seemed not to hear her pull in, or close her car door, and she almost ran across the grass to him, slowing once she was almost beside him.

"Sweetie?" she said, softly, moving in front of him.

"Hi Mom," he said, his voice monotone and hollow. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," she said, sitting down on the bench beside him, watching as he threw goldfish crackers for the ducks, one at a time. "You had everyone pretty worried."

"It's fine," he said, continuing his rhythmic feeding of the ducks. "Remember when we used to come here?" he asked, after a minute.

Beth nodded, and he went on.

"I played in my first soccer game here," he said. "Remember? I wasn't very fast, and I wasn't very good, but it was so much fun."

Beth reached out for his hand, her eyes filling with tears. She noticed that he was shivering, and his hand was incredibly warm.

"Sweetie, we should get you to a doctor," she said, quietly. "We can talk about this later."

Almost as if he didn't hear her, he went on. "I didn't want to come here anymore, after the accident," he said, "because it was just a reminder of something that I'd lost. But then eventually Michael started playing soccer, and we came. He was way better than I ever would have been, the first time they let him on the field. And we used to feed the ducks while he practiced. Do you remember?"

Beth nodded. "I do," she said, placing a hand gently on his cheek. "Sweetie, we really need to get you to a doctor, you're burning up."

Again, as if her words didn't reach his ears, he continued. "I used to love coming here to feed the ducks," he said. "It was always something fun I could do by myself. I didn't need any help."

"I know, sweetie," Beth said. "Honey, I need to take you to the hospital."

"I can't go, Mom," he said. "It didn't work."

"What didn't work?" Beth asked, not understanding what he was talking about.

"The baby thing," he muttered. "It didn't work, again. I can't even do that with help," he went on. "Just another thing on a long list of things I've failed at."

Beth sat in silence, knowing that she had to get him to a hospital, but also that he wouldn't go until he was finished talking. She'd wanted him to be open about everything for weeks…and he'd finally decided to. At the worst possible moment. While he had what she assumed was a raging infection, and was sitting outside in the cool breeze with a fever.

"I don't think we should try again," he whispered. "Maybe it's better that way. I know I'm sick, and I know I've been sick for a few days," he went on. "But I just wanted to ignore it. I want to be a good husband, and a good father…not one that has to worry about stuff like this. I don't want to be that person anymore…the person that has to worry about bathroom schedules, the accessibility of buildings, not being able to get my wife pregnant on command, complications that might result from my being like this…I don't want to be the reason that Avery comes home crying because someone made fun of her Daddy, for being broken. I can't do this anymore," he muttered. "They deserve better. It's not fair to them. I said horrible things to Quinn, Mom, and I made Avery cry. They don't deserve any of that," he finished, tears pouring slowly down his cheeks.

Beth reached out, wrapping her arms around him, and gently pulling him closer. "Sweetie," she said softly. "They think you're the best thing ever," she whispered, gently rubbing his back. "Which is why we need to get you to the hospital, so you can continue to be there for them."

"Where are they?" Artie asked, glancing around.

Judging from the heat of his forehead, as it rested against her cheek, Beth was wondering if he was becoming (or possibly already was) delirious from the fever that was ravaging his body.

"They're at our house," she said. "How about I take you to the hospital, and they meet us there?"

He shook his head, before collapsing against her.

"Sweetie?" she asked, concerned by the fact that her son was suddenly dead weight in her arms. She shook him gently, which seemed to bring him back to her. "I'm taking you to the hospital right now," she said, still holding him, not trusting that he'd stay upright if she let go. She knew that, on top of being ravaged by infection and fever, he was most certainly dehydrated as well. She thought about phoning for an ambulance, until he spoke again.

"I have to apologize to them," he said. "I can't go anywhere until I do that. I'll drive," he said, slowly moving his hands down.

Beth shook her head. "I'll take care of that," she said, softly. "We'll go home first, and then to the hospital, ok?" she asked, reluctantly, as it was clear he wasn't going anywhere until he'd done that.

"Ok," he said, softly. "Mom…could you give me a hand?" he whispered, as he tried to make his chair move. "I…can't."

Beth kissed him gently on the cheek, before standing up. "Of course, sweetie," she said. "Let's get you home."

* * *

><p>During the drive back to the house, Beth talked to Artie continuously, trying to get him to stay awake. When they pulled into the driveway, she ordered him to stay put, as she went around the van, and headed to the house.<p>

She was barely on the path, before the door was thrown open, and Quinn came running out, followed by Avery, who was followed by Steve and Bailey.

Once she was in the van, Quinn threw her arms around him, sobbing.

He tried to reach out to hold her, but the effort was more than his body could give. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear. "I didn't mean any of it. I love you so, so much."

"I know," she whispered back, holding him tightly. "I love you too…so, so much." He was burning up…she had to get him to a doctor.

"Daddy!" Avery yelled, climbing into the van. "Daddy?" she asked softly, when he didn't really respond to her the first time.

"Hey, princess," he said, softly. "Come here."

Avery climbed gently into his lap, Quinn holding out her hands in case she needed some help, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm so sorry, princess," he whispered into her ear, struggling to keep his eyes from rolling back in his head. He was just so tired.

"It's ok, Daddy," Avery said, kissing him softly on the cheek. "We were worried, because Mommy and Grandma couldn't find you," she added, gently running her hand across his. "Are you ok?"

"I'm ok now," he said to her, as he struggled to drape his arm around her. "Everything is ok now."

"Avery, sweetie," Quinn said. "I need to take Daddy to see a doctor, and you're going to stay here with Grandma and Grandpa, ok?"

"But I want to stay with Daddy," Avery said, tightening her grip on him.

Quinn watched, as he tried not to let the amount of pain he was feeling show on his face. "Daddy is really sick, and we need to take him to the hospital," she tried again. "And we need you to be a big girl and stay here for a bit, ok?"

"I'll be back soon, princess," Artie said. "I'll see you in a little while, ok?"

"Daddy will see you when he's feeling better," Quinn added, knowing that the chances of them not keeping him in the hospital were less than zero.

"Ok," Avery said, kissing him once more on the cheek, before sliding off his lap. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered, holding his hand.

"I love you too, princess," he whispered.

Quinn exchanged a glance with Beth and Steve, who nodded, before helping Avery out of the van, closing the door, and climbing into the driver's seat.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Writing this chapter broke me, multiple times. Actually…even planning this chapter broke me. This was the hardest thing I have ever written. **

**As with the last two chapters…this was written in collaboration with Megan (GLEEful Heart). Thanks for collecting and organizing my late night rambly thoughts, yo! ;)**

**Also, thanks to Jaiaelle, who listened to me go on about how Artie was breaking me, as I wrote this.**

**I had planned to have more in this chapter, but where I've stopped just felt like the right place to end it. So…what I had planned to continue with will be in the next chapter.**

**If you read, and don't usually review…I would really appreciate it if you'd leave me a few words. I know there are a lot of you out there, reading this, and it would be nice to see a little feedback from you. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

"It's definitely a kidney infection," the doctor said to Quinn, moving around the bed to check the label on the bag of antibiotics attached to Artie's IV. "As I suspected," he went on. "The lab just sent the results back, and there were signs of blood and infection in his urine. The bloodwork came back better than I was expecting, though."

"What do you mean better than you were expecting?" Quinn asked, a worried look on her face, as she looked at Artie, who was about three quarters of the way to being completely passed out. She doubted he'd caught anything the doctor had said, which is why she assumed he said it to her, rather than to Artie himself.

"Well," the doctor continued, "there were no signs that the infection has spread to his blood, and his kidney function looks good. Has he been sick long? It's very important to have these things treated promptly," he added. "It probably started out as a simple UTI, which we would most likely have been able to sort out with a course of oral antibiotics."

"He hasn't been feeling well for a few days," Quinn said. "Yesterday he was definitely worse, but he just brushed it off. And then today…" she trailed off.

Quinn had made it to the hospital in record time, praying the entire way that she wouldn't get pulled over. She tried to keep him awake while they were driving, but about five minutes before she turned into the hospital entrance, he'd stopped responding. She increased her speed, pulling to a stop directly in front of the emergency room doors. She ran inside, grabbing the first person she saw, and within a couple of minutes they had him safely out of the van and in a bed in the ER.

They had started IV fluids right away, and once the doctor had done his initial examination, a nurse came and catheterized him, before attaching the antibiotics to his IV. She knew he would NOT be amused, and probably would have protested, but he was out cold. She'd deal with his reaction to the catheter later. She certainly wasn't going to tell him…maybe he wouldn't notice for a bit, she thought, relieved for once that she knew he wouldn't be able to feel it. The last time they had done that, he'd been awake, and she was pretty sure half the hospital heard his reasons why he definitely didn't need that.

"You look worried," Artie suddenly whispered, reaching out and gently grasping her hand. "It's ok. Everything is fine, Quinn."

"Hey," she said, softly, smiling at him. "You decided to join us again."

He nodded slowly, looking around the cubicle they had him in. "Hey, doc," he said, once his eyes met those of the doctor standing beside him. "Any good drugs in those bags?"

The doctor smiled, sitting down on the chair beside him. "Good drugs for you, right now," he said, looking at the clipboard he was holding. "We've been pumping you full of fluids since you got here, and we started antibiotics a little while ago. I was just telling Quinn that I've got the lab results back, and it looks like you've got a nasty kidney infection going on in there," he went on. "As I suspected. Your urine had blood and high levels of pus in it. I suspect that this probably started out as a simple UTI, and then moved up into your bladder, and finally into your kidneys."

"Great," Artie said. "Haven't had one of those in a while. Not exactly the kind of excitement I was hoping for in my life right now."

The doctor chuckled softly. "I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, and haven't already heard five thousand times," he said, "but it's really important that you come see someone at the first sign of something like this. Infections like this are dangerous. They can lead to things like septicaemia or kidney damage, both of which are serious problems, and can be fatal," he added. "We're really lucky that we caught this in time."

"I know," Artie said, glancing over at Quinn, who had tears in her eyes.

"Now," the doctor went on, "you've been using proper clean procedures when catheterizing? Emptying your bladder often enough?"

"Of course," Artie muttered. "I've been doing this for a while…I think I know how to do it properly."

The doctor nodded. "Now," he said. "We're going to need to keep you for a couple of days, so we can pump you full of antibiotics and make sure everything checks out-"

"You can't," Artie cut in, struggling to keep his eyes open, as another wave of intense tiredness hit him. "We have a daughter. I have to go home for my family, and I have to go to work…" he trailed off.

"Your daughter wants you to feel better," Quinn said, smiling at him. "Even if that means her Daddy has to hang out at the hospital for a bit. And I called Jack. He gave me strict orders to tell you you're not coming back until you're better. Oh…and that I should keep him posted."

"But…" Artie trailed off. "Fine. But only a couple of days."

The doctor nodded again. "We'll try and have you out of here as quickly as possible," he said, standing. "Someone is going to come get you and take you up to the third floor shortly," he said. "I'll check in with you in the morning. Oh," he added. "Before I go. Are you in any pain?"

"My back is kind of sore," Artie said. "But it's not that bad."

"I'll ask them to give you something before they take you upstairs," the doctor responded, exchanging a glance with Quinn, who nodded.

"Thank you," Quinn said, as Artie nodded, and the doctor exited the cubicle.

"Bet this isn't how you wanted to spend your Monday night," Artie quipped, turning his head to look at her. "Or…it's night, right? Or evening, at least?"

"Well, it's not ideal," she said. "But considering the situation, I'm glad we are where we are," she added, leaning over and softly kissing him on the cheek, as his eyelids slowly fell.

* * *

><p>"You should go to Avery," Artie said, sleepily, once they had him settled in his hospital room. "She'll be worried."<p>

"She's fine," Quinn said. "She's with your parents. I called them while they were getting you set up in here," she went on. "She told me I should stay with Daddy, so he's not lonely. Your mom said they'd bring her by tomorrow, once you've had a chance to get some rest."

"Ok," he said, yawning. He was starting to have trouble focusing on her, but wasn't quite ready to give in to the drugs and sleep.

"Quinn?" he said, softly.

"Yes?" she asked, leaning closer, his hand held tightly in his.

"I'm sorry," he said. "For everything."

"Hey," she said softly, smiling at him. "It's ok. Like you said…everything is ok. We'll talk about it when you're feeling better."

"No," he mumbled, "it's not. I'm sorry I can't be normal, whole, or the kind of husband and father you and Avery deserve."

Quinn's eyes filled with tears. She was about to say something in response to his statement, but he was already asleep.

* * *

><p>"What time is it?" Artie asked, seconds after Quinn looked over and saw him moving his hand. He'd been asleep for close to fifteen hours, and she was starting to get concerned. Every couple of hours, nurses would come in, take his temperature, check his IV, reposition him when necessary, and make sure everything was alright, and he didn't seem to notice any of it.<p>

"Almost nine," she said, moving closer. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," he said. "Or…mostly fine," he added. He actually felt like he'd been hit by a train, or a herd of rhinos, but she didn't need to know that. "Did you sleep here?"

Quinn nodded. "I wasn't sure when you'd wake up," she said. "And I wanted to make sure I was here when you did, so I just stayed. They didn't mind."

"What about Avery?" he asked, looking concerned.

"She's fine," Quinn said. "I talked to your mom a little while ago…I said I'd call them when you're awake, so they can come visit."

"As much as I want to see her, I really don't think she needs to see me like this," he muttered. "She doesn't need any more reasons to think her Daddy is broken than she's already got."

"Artie," Quinn said, softly.

"Well, it's true," he said, softly. "I don't want to be the source of any more pain, for her or for you."

"What has ever made you think that you're a 'source of pain' for either of us?" Quinn asked, getting up from her chair and sitting carefully on the side of his bed, looking for any sign in his face that her being on the mattress was hurting him. When there was none, she continued.

"I know stuff hasn't been the greatest lately," she said. "But none of that is your fault. Even though you think everything is your fault, don't you?"

"I've totally failed at…everything," he muttered. "I can't get you pregnant. I can't be a good father to Avery. Sometimes I feel like I can't do anything the way I'm supposed to."

"Hey," she said, reaching out and cupping his face with her hand. "The getting pregnant thing is going to work out…there are so many other options for us. Which we're going to talk about when you're feeling better. And what makes you think you can't be a good father to Avery?" she asked, thinking back to what Avery had told her the day before.

"One of the little girls at her party told her there was something wrong with her Daddy," he muttered. "Which is true. But she didn't need to have it laid out for her like that. And especially not by a six year old," he said. "That was one of the reasons she was so upset after her party," he went on. "Well, that and the fact that that little brat also said the same thing about Ariel. It just broke my heart that the whole thing even had to happen. If I were a normal Daddy, it wouldn't have. Now all I can think about is how that made her feel, and how she must see me differently, knowing that there's something wrong with me," he finished, a tear running down his cheek. "It's not fair to her. She deserves someone who can do all the regular daddy stuff with her."

"I'm pretty sure nothing could ever change how Avery sees you," Quinn said. "Just like nothing could ever change how I see you." She leaned in, wrapping her arms gently around him. "Shhh," she said, holding him. "We don't have to talk about this anymore right now…conversations like this can wait until you're better. But just know that you're one of the best things that's happened to both of us, and nothing could ever change that."

He placed the arm that didn't have an IV sticking out of it around her, and they just sat, holding each other, for a couple of minutes.

* * *

><p>Eventually, Quinn sat up, and he moved the hand containing the IV onto his thigh.<p>

"That better not be what I think it is," he said, feeling around on his thigh and looking up at her.

Quinn grinned, sheepishly. "I'm afraid it is," she said. "You were passed out when we got here, and you were asleep for about fifteen hours. How did you think that was going to work?"

"What, so I was a LITTLE out of it, and you let them Foley me?" he asked, his voice louder than Quinn had heard it at all since they'd arrived at the hospital.

"They didn't exactly give me a choice," she said. "It had to be done."

"Well, I'm awake now," he said. "So can you please go get a nurse to remove it?"

"I don't think that's necessary," Quinn said. "It's probably for the best right now. Until you're feeling better."

"Look," he said. "If you don't go get a nurse to take it out, I'm just going to do it myself," he went on, reaching down.

"You better not try that," Quinn said, grabbing his hand. "Do you want to be labelled a problem patient? They seem to like you right now," she added, a small smirk on her face. "But, then…they haven't actually seen you really awake."

"Gee, thanks," he said. "Fine," he added, resting his head on his pillow, after realizing there was no point in making a scene. "Can you please just make sure everything associated with…that, is covered up before Avery gets here? She doesn't need to see it."

Quinn nodded, moving around the bed, pulling one of the blankets down to cover the area in which the drainage bag was hanging. He was always very cautious to make sure that Avery never saw anything related to catheters or anything else, because he didn't think someone her age needed to know about things like that.

"Thanks," he said, as she moved back to the chair she'd pulled closer to his bed. "Maybe you should call them and let them know I'm no longer doing my re-enactment of Sleeping Beauty…I'm sure Avery is waiting."

Quinn grinned. "She probably is," she said. "She slept with Linds last night, and she woke her up at five this morning asking if it was time to come see you yet. And I'm pretty sure if I told her you were re-enacting Sleeping Beauty, she'd march right in here and kiss you to wake you up."

Artie smiled. There were huge holes in his memory of the day before, but one of the things he remembered very clearly was telling Avery he'd see her in a bit. It had been significantly more than a bit, and he needed to see her soon.

* * *

><p>"Daddy!" Avery said, as she and Beth walked into the room, followed by Steve and Linds.<p>

"Hey, princess," he said, smiling at her.

"Are you ok?" she asked, walking over to where Quinn was sitting, beside the bed.

"Well," Artie said, "now that you're here, I'm better than ok. Hi Mom, Dad, Linds," he said, turning to the rest of his family.

"Hey, sweetie," Beth said, smiling softly at him, before glancing over at Avery, noticing that she was practically bouncing.

"Why don't you come up here so I can give you a hug?" Artie asked, turning his attention back to the little girl.

"I brought you something," she said, holding out what she'd been clutching in her hand. "Oscar wants you to feel better."

Artie smiled, as he took the small, stuffed dinosaur she'd brought. Oscar had been his when he was little, and Avery insisted on sleeping with him every night she slept over at her grandparents' house.

"Thank you," he said, softly, his voice catching as he tried to contain his emotions. "You and Oscar are just what I needed."

Avery grinned, as Quinn helped her climb up onto the side of the bed that didn't have any tubes on it. Once she was up, she carefully climbed onto his chest, kissing him on the cheek, before nestling herself into Artie's arm.

As he moved to accommodate her, Quinn watched him. Shortly before they'd arrived, a nurse had come in to give him some more medication for the pain in his back, but he'd told her no, because he knew they were coming, and wanted to be fully alert. Quinn was beginning to wonder if that had been a bad idea, but she knew she couldn't change his mind.

She stood up, and headed over to talk to the others, giving Avery and Artie a chance to spend a few minutes visiting by themselves.

"I was so worried, Daddy," Avery said, a sad look on her face. "Grandma said you would be ok, but I was so worried and scared. I don't like it when you're sick."

"I know, princess," he said. "But you don't have to be worried or scared anymore. Everything is ok. They're giving me some medicine in this tube," he said, partially raising his other arm. "And before you know it I'll be good as new, and we'll be playing with Bailey in the back yard."

"Did you get sick from your…parenthesis?" Avery asked, turning around so she could see his face. "Grandma and I talked about it a bit yesterday," she added. "When I asked her why you were sick."

"My…Oh!" Artie said, confused at first, before realizing what she meant. "You mean paralysis?"

Avery nodded. "I couldn't remember…that's a big word," she said.

He smiled softly at her. "Well," he said. "Yes, I guess I did. It's not just my legs that have problems," he went on, trying to put in into terms she could understand, without giving too much detail. "Some other stuff doesn't work too, and that can make me sick sometimes."

"Oh," Avery said, seemingly satisfied with his answer. "But you'll be ok, right?"

"Of course," he said, pulling her closer, ignoring the pain in his back. "And I'm feeling much better now that you're here. You don't need to worry about it anymore."

"Daddy, after Grandma told me what it was, I told her your paral…enthis makes you special, just like you told me," she said. "She said that I was right and everything makes you special," she went on. "And she said I was special too. And Bailey too! He was sitting beside me on the couch when we were talking."

Artie grinned. "Oh, well, if you, Bailey, and I are all special," he said, "then we're good to go, right?"

She grinned, wrapping her arms around him again. "I love you, Daddy," she said.

"I love you too, princess."

* * *

><p>While Artie and Avery were cuddling and talking, Quinn, Beth, Steve, and Linds sat in one of the many waiting areas strewn throughout the hospital. Quinn gave them a detailed account of what the doctor had said.<p>

"I should have made him go to the doctor days ago," Quinn said. "I feel like part of this is my fault."

"Hey," Beth said, putting her arm around her. "Think about who you're talking about. Does he EVER listen when someone tells him to do something like that? Plus, in the mindset he's been in the last few days…the chances of him agreeing to it are even less likely."

Quinn nodded. "But I should never have let him get this sick," she said, softly. "I should have done something sooner."

"You didn't let him get this sick," Steve said, leaning forward. "He let himself get this sick. And he'll be the first one to tell you that if you tell him you feel like this is your fault," he added.

"That is true," Beth said. "And he did tell me yesterday that he knew that he's been sick for a few days."

"Where did you find him?" Quinn asked. "I didn't get a chance to ask yesterday."

"At the park, feeding the ducks," Beth said. "He was pretty out of it," she added, her expression growing sombre, as she remembered what had taken place the day before. "But all he wanted was to see you and Avery so he could apologize."

Quinn nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I feel like this whole thing is my fault," she said. "Not just him being sick…but everything that happened yesterday. He's been acting strange for WEEKS, and I could NEVER get him to talk about it. He started to today, but I told him that it can wait until he's better," she went on. "I just hope I can get him to talk about it in a few days. I probably missed my chance."

Beth shook her head. "If he said he'll talk about it, then he will. I think yesterday was a big wake-up call for him. He knows now that he needs to talk about these things with you," she added. "He may be a bit stubborn, but he's not stupid."

"Stubborn?" Linds said, grinning. "Who, Artie?"

Everyone laughed, before Quinn decided they'd better check on him and Avery, just to make sure everything was ok. She assumed everyone else would also want to visit with him at some point, and they probably had other things to do that afternoon. She wondered why Linds and Steve weren't at work, but decided not to ask, assuming they'd taken the day off so they could see him. She knew that Beth only worked Tuesday-Thursday, but the other two usually worked most days.

When they re-entered the room, it appeared that Artie was just finishing up telling Avery a story about dinosaurs, while she snuggled into his chest.

Once he'd proclaimed it to be the end of the story, Beth walked up to the side of the bed. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked, gently smoothing the hair on his forehead.

"Fine," he said. "They're pumping me full of…everything. And now that I have you guys and Oscar, I'm good to go," he added, smiling weakly at her.

Judging from her son's pallor, and the fact that he stiffened a little every time Avery moved, Beth doubted he was being honest with her, but she decided not to bring it up, because Avery was sitting right there, and she knew he wouldn't talk about it with her there.

"Had us a little worried there, sport," Steve said, from his place beside Beth. "Glad to see you looking a little better than you did yesterday."

Artie still hadn't told Steve that they were trying to get pregnant, but after the events of the previous day, Beth had felt that she had to say something to him. She knew Artie probably wouldn't be too happy about it, and that it probably wasn't her place to say anything, but she had decided that the benefits outweighed the costs. Steve needed to know what was going on with his son. She hoped that he'd talk about it with Artie once he was feeling better and out of the hospital. She also hoped that her husband had enough tact not to mention that she'd said something. She thought Artie might be a little more open about everything, because he'd seen what happened when he wasn't, and she hoped that would extend to his interactions with Steve as well.

"Hey, big brother," Linds said, grinning at him from the foot of the bed. "I need you to get better ASAP. All three dogs slept in the laundry room last night, and it was like a tornado was touching down in there all night long. Bailey is SO loud."

Artie grinned. "Nice to know you only want me better so I can take my dog home," he said. "Really, thanks, Linds. Maybe I'll start sending him with Avery every time she has a sleepover."

Avery giggled. "Daddy," she said. "He can't come every time! I have to play with Daisy and Jakie, too!"

When Artie had moved out, he'd initially taken Daisy with him, but found himself returning her several days later, after Linds informed him that Jakie had stopped eating. Daisy had been acting a little off as well, and, upon seeing that both dogs were their old selves when they were together, Artie made the difficult decision of leaving her there. It wasn't like he'd never see her, he had reasoned.

"Oh, right," Artie said, grinning at her.

"We'd better get going," Steve said, after they'd chatted for a few more minutes.

"I'll keep Avery here until visiting hours are over," Quinn said, rising from her chair.

Beth nodded. "And then you'll both come stay at our house? It's so much closer to the hospital," she said. "And Bailey is already there."

"If you'll have us," Quinn said, smiling at her mother in law. "That would be great."

"Of course," Beth said, leaning over and kissing Artie on the cheek. "I'll come see you in the morning before work, ok sweetie?" she said to him.

"That would be nice," he said, smiling at her. "Thanks, Mom."

After Linds and Steve had also said their good byes, the three left.

Several minutes later, a nurse arrived to check his vitals, replenish his fluids, empty his catheter bag, and help him get repositioned. Quinn whisked Avery out of the room, announcing they were going to go find a snack. The nurse offered him something for the pain in his back again, which he thought about declining, before reluctantly accepting. He didn't really want to be under the influence of drugs with Avery around, but he didn't want her to see that he was in pain, either.

There were still a few hours of visiting hours left, and she looked tired, he thought, so maybe he could get her to have a short nap.

Once the nurse left, Quinn and Avery were back in the room, and Avery was in bed with him again before he even knew what was going on.

"You look tired, Daddy," she said, gently placing a hand on his face. "You could have a nap if you want to."

"I'm ok," Artie said, smiling at her. "Are you tired? Was that code for 'Daddy, I want to sleep?'"

Quinn laughed, as Avery snuggled into his arms without saying another word, and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, she was out cold, and Quinn could tell Artie wasn't far behind her.

"You don't have to stay awake for me," she said to him, softly. "The expression on your face tells me you let the nurse give you something for your back. Why don't you sleep for a bit?" she asked. "Your mom brought me a book, so I won't be bored, if that's what you're worried about."

"I feel bad sleeping, knowing that you're sitting there," he said, yawning. "It feels rude."

"Artie," she said. "You're in a hospital, you're sick, and they just gave you drugs. I'm pretty sure NO ONE would think it were rude if you slept for a bit."

He nodded, reluctantly. "But you'll wake me if anything exciting happens?"

Wondering what he thought might happen that could possibly be classified as exciting, Quinn nodded. "Of course," she said. "Now, get some rest."

He squeezed her hand. "I love you," he said softly, before drifting off to sleep.

"And I love you," Quinn whispered, leaning over Avery and gently kissing him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'd just like to say that I am completely overwhelmed by the response the last chapter got. You guys are FANTASTIC!**

**Hope you enjoyed this one as much as the last one! Thought we could do with a bit of a break after the last one, and here we are! **

**As with the last few, this was written together with Megan aka GLEEful Heart. Or…We talked extensively about it, then I wrote it, then she went over it, and then I posted! ;)**

**Thank you to everyone that's been reading! And, HINT HINT…the amount of wonderful comments in all the reviews on the last chapter made me feel exceptionally good. :D**


	15. Chapter 15

Artie was released from the hospital on Thursday morning. They'd timed it so that Quinn could drop Avery off at school, head over to the hospital, get him checked out, and then they could pick her up from school together.

While he still wasn't feeling 100%, Artie was relieved that he felt better, and even more relieved that he was on his way home. He was armed with a prescription for a round of oral antibiotics, just to make sure everything was completely taken care of, and an order to take it easy for the rest of the week, and that was exactly what he planned to do. He'd spoken with Jack late Wednesday afternoon, and he'd ordered him to not even think about coming back to work before Monday.

Quinn and Artie hadn't told Avery that they were picking her up together, because they both thought she'd like the surprise, and they were right. After her initial squeal of excitement at the fact that, not only was her daddy out of the hospital, but he was also picking her up from school, she'd chattered happily all the way home.

Once they'd arrived at the house, Quinn had announced that Artie was on his way to bed, and, despite his protests, he soon found himself lying in their bed, surrounded by Avery, Bailey, and Quinn.

They spent much of the afternoon watching movies, before Quinn had announced that she was going to go make dinner, and that maybe Avery wanted to help her. Artie had looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep for hours, and she knew that, if they left him alone, it would be minutes before he was passed out.

She thought about the call she'd received earlier in the day, while Artie had been in the bathroom. After she'd had Avery, she had made arrangements so that she would always be at the very bottom of the callout list of substitute teachers. Over the previous six years, she'd been called out no more than about five times per year. Sylvia, from the school district human resources office, had called her to see if she could fill in in a grade three class at Avery's school on Friday, because they'd reached the end of the list, and everyone else was working.

She had agreed, somewhat reluctantly. With Artie being sick, she thought she probably shouldn't, until she realized that the extra money would probably come in handy when the bill from the hospital arrived. She didn't really want to leave Artie alone all day, so while she was making dinner, she phoned Beth to see if she would be available to keep an eye on Artie, and pick Avery up from kindergarten. Beth had, of course, agreed, and all that was left to do was fill Artie in on what was happening. She knew he probably wouldn't be too impressed by the fact that his wife had commandeered his mother to keep an eye on him, but he'd just have to deal with it.

Once she and Avery were almost finished preparing one of Artie's favourite meals, along with dessert, of course, she snuck into the bedroom, to see if he was awake.

"Hey," he said, softly, reaching for the glasses she'd carefully removed from his face once he was sleeping. "What time is it?"

"It's almost six," Quinn said. "Dinner's almost ready. Do you feel like eating?"

"I could," he said. "Actually…I'm starving. So I…more than could. Sign me up for whatever's on the menu."

Quinn smiled. "Do you want me to bring it to you?" she asked. "Or are you ok to get up?"

"I'll get up," he said, throwing back the quilt she'd covered him with.

Quinn knew he was still a little weak, so she casually walked over to him, offering her arm for support as he sat himself up, and then standing guard, in case the transfer to his chair didn't go as smoothly as it usually did.

Once he was properly situated, they made their way out to the kitchen, where Avery was waiting.

"Daddy," she said. "We made your favourite. And a cake! It's a welcome home and we love you cake."

"Thanks, princess," he said, smiling softly at her. "You know that's my favourite kind of cake."

"I know," she said. "That's why we made it for you."

As they sat down to dinner, Artie thought about how thankful he was to have both of them. And also about how he'd come so close to losing them. Or to them losing him.

* * *

><p>"I was going to bring this up earlier," Quinn said, after they were in bed that night. "Sylvia called me today. I said I would work tomorrow, at Avery's school."<p>

"That's fine," Artie said. "I can pick her up, and we can hang out for the afternoon."

"You're not driving," Quinn said. "Or staying by yourself, actually. I called your mom, and she said she'd take care of things tomorrow."

"I don't need a babysitter," Artie grumbled. "I'm fine."

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're fine. Which is why you're white as a sheet, and it took you six times more effort than normal to get into bed tonight."

"I'm just a little weak," he said. "It'll be fine tomorrow."

"Well, even if it is," Quinn said, grinning at him, "your mom and Avery will make sure you're ok tomorrow. I know I probably should have asked you, or…something, but I knew you'd say no, and I just don't want you to be alone!"

"Fine," he said. "I guess I don't have much choice in the matter…do I?"

"No, you don't," she said. "I'm really glad you're home," she added, moving closer to him.

"So am I," he said. "You have no idea."

* * *

><p>"Your mom should be here any minute," Quinn said, as she and Avery were getting ready to leave on Friday morning. "Will you be ok until she gets here?"<p>

"Yes," Artie grumbled. "Of course. All I'm doing is sitting here. Practically nothing can go wrong."

"I love you, Daddy," Avery said, kissing him. "And I'll be home from school soon so I can take care of you with Grandma."

"I love you too," he said, kissing her. "And you," he said to Quinn, as she leaned over to kiss him goodbye as well.

"Don't get into any trouble before your mom arrives," Quinn said, grinning at him, as she closed the door.

Although the thought of getting into some sort of trouble did sound mildly entertaining, he realized he was actually too tired for that, and decided to just hang out on the couch with Bailey until Beth got there.

He'd barely made the transfer from his chair to the couch, when he heard the front door open.

"Artie, honey, it's me," Beth announced, closing the door. "Are you awake?"

"In the living room," he called out. "And if hadn't been awake, I would be now!" he added, grinning at her, as she rounded the corner.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked, patting Bailey on the head, before sitting down on a chair across from the couch.

"Like I don't need a babysitter," he said, a glint in his eye. "But if I had to have one, I'm glad it's you."

Beth grinned. "Quinn just wanted to make sure that everything is ok," she said. "She said you're still a little weak, and the last thing we need is you having some sort of…incident."

"That only happened once," he muttered. "And I only needed two stitches. Which wouldn't even have been necessary if that nightstand had been six inches in the other direction."

"Well, better to be safe than sorry," she said. "So. Anything on your agenda for today?"

He shrugged. "I've pretty much been forbidden from everything, so I thought I'd…sit here for a while with Bailey, talk to you, eventually go with you to get Avery, come back here, do some more things…" he trailed off. "Sounds like a pretty full agenda."

"With some minor adjustments," Beth said. "How about this. You sit here for a while with Bailey, talking to me. Then you go lie down while I water your plants, and go pick up Avery, because you look exhausted and it's only 9:30. Then, when we get back, if you're awake, we can all have lunch together, and then Avery can take charge of you and I'll just sit back and watch. Or, if you're still sleeping, Avery and I will have lunch, and make you some for when you're awake. At which point Avery will take charge of you, and I'll sit back and watch."

"When she was leaving she told me she'd be home soon to take care of me with you," he said, smiling as he remembered her face as she said those words.

Beth grinned. "That's what I suspected," she said. "I'm surprised you guys got her to school at all today."

"She was thrilled by the fact that her Mommy was going to be working there today," he said. "Apparently that overrides sick Daddy."

"Yeah, for about five seconds," Beth said. "When you went to the hospital, I explained to her a bit about your paralysis," she went on. "I hope that was alright."

"You mean my parenthesis?" Artie asked. "Yeah, that was fine…as long as you didn't go into very much detail."

Beth chuckled. "She absolutely could not wrap her tongue around that word," she said. "And yet, she apparently had no trouble with parenthesis. Of course I didn't go into very much detail, sweetie. She's six. She just started asking questions about why you were sick, and I figured I might as well be honest with her."

"Thanks, Mom," he said. "And thanks for keeping her there with you guys…I never got a chance to thank you for that, and for letting her and Quinn stay there."

"Oh, honey," Beth said. "You don't have to thank us for that! That's what people who love each other do. Are you feeling alright? You're a little pale."

"I just have a headache," he said. "But I'm fine."

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Ok, so maybe my back also hurts a little, I feel sick and I'm kind of dizzy," he admitted, sheepishly. "But it's fine. Really."

"Why don't you go lie down in bed for a bit?" she asked. "Or at least tell Bailey to go down, and stretch yourself out here, on the couch."

"I've had enough bed to last me for a while," he said. "But I guess I could lie down here," he added, motioning for Bailey to get down.

Once he was stretched out, Beth covered him with a blanket, and insisted on finding him another pillow, so he'd be more comfortable. He had insisted that he could have done both those things himself, but Beth just told him that Avery would probably be asking, and she'd need to tell her she'd been taking care of him. He couldn't argue with that.

Before he knew it, he felt a gentle hand on his forehead, and quickly opened his eyes.

"I don't think you have a fever," Beth said. "You've been asleep for a couple of hours, and I just wanted to be sure."

"Sorry," he said. "I wasn't going to sleep…that always feels so rude. Especially when you gave up one of your days off to come watch me. Because apparently I need watching," he added, grinning at her.

"You're sick, sweetie," she said. "And I didn't think it was rude at all…Bailey and I went outside and watered all your plants, and cleaned up a few of them. I have to go get Avery," she went on. "Why don't you try and see if you can get back to sleep, and we'll wake you up when we get home?"

"I could come with you," he said, looking up at her.

Beth smiled. "It's ok, sweetie. I don't really want you going outside, and you need as much rest as possible…which you won't get in the van. We'll be back soon."

He nodded, watching as she left the room. As he closed his eyes, wondering if he'd be able to go back to sleep, he thought about how lucky he was to have people like his mother, Avery, Quinn, and the rest of his family in his life.

* * *

><p>"Daddy? Are you awake?" Avery whispered, as she kneeled in front of his face.<p>

He slowly opened one eye. "No," he said.

Avery giggled. "Yes you are," she whispered back. "Or you wouldn't have answered me!"

"Oh," he said, opening both eyes. "You're right! I am awake! How was school?"

"It was fun," Avery said, casually. "We had art, and I played with Ariel at recess, like I always do."

"That's great," he said, smiling at her. "Where's Grandma?"

"She's making lunch," Avery said. "I said I would come see if you were awake so you could have some too. Are you hungry?"

He didn't really feel like eating, but he knew that he should. "I am," he said. "I should probably get up."

"Grandma said we could have a picnic in the living room," she said. "So you can stay lying on the couch. And she said maybe I could sit on the couch with you, if you said that was ok."

"I don't know…" he said. "You? On the couch with me?"

"But I always go on the couch with you," Avery said, giggling.

He grinned. "I was just joking. Of course you can do that," he said. "What's for lunch?"

"Sandwiches and soup," Avery said. "I told Grandma we should make your favourite lunch. I wanted to bake cookies too, but she said maybe we could do that later. I should go see if she needs help," she added, standing up. "Are you ok if I leave?"

"I'm fine, princess," he said. "Go see if you can give Grandma a hand."

"You stay right here, ok?" Avery asked. "Don't move at all."

He grinned. "I won't."

* * *

><p>After lunch, Avery gave them both a detailed account of her school day, including what several people had brought for snacks, before she ran off to her room, announcing that she had to go find something.<p>

After a few minutes, Beth got up and went to go see what she was doing.

As Artie waited for them to return, he contemplated getting up, before deciding he'd probably be scolded by both of them for that. So, instead, he shifted himself on the couch.

"Daddy," Avery said, running into the living room. "I accidentally made a mess in my room, so Grandma is helping me clean it. But I just wanted to come make sure that your…paraphrenthesis isn't making you sick. You should move around."

"I just did, princess," he said. "Don't worry, nothing is going to make me sick again. What kind of mess?"

"I dropped my box of colouring stuff," she said. "I thought maybe you might feel better if we coloured."

Artie smiled softly at his daughter. "You better go finish cleaning it up," he said. "And then you're right…I think colouring might definitely help. Good thinking!"

Avery beamed, as she turned around, and ran back to her room.

After a few minutes, she came back, her large box of colouring supplies in hand, and followed by Beth.

"I had no idea that many crayons and things could fit in that box," Beth said, as she sat down. "Wow."

Artie chuckled, as Avery pulled out a colouring book, and selected a picture for them to colour together.

"Did you want to colour too, Grandma?" she asked, as she spread out her colouring supplies on the seat of Artie's chair, which she frequently used as a table, when he wasn't in it.

"That's ok, sweetie," she said. "You go ahead."

Beth watched, as Avery got to work, laying her colouring book on Artie's chest, before announcing that he might have to sit up a bit to make it work better. Finally, when everything was in position, they started colouring.

She could tell the position he was in wasn't the most comfortable for him to be in, but he didn't seem to care, as he listened to Avery explain what should be coloured which colours.

She reached over for her bag, pulling out her camera, and snapped several pictures of the two of them. She'd make sure to email them to Quinn that evening.

* * *

><p>"You're home!" Avery announced, as Quinn walked into the living room. After they'd coloured, they had watched a bit of tv, while Avery cuddled with her Grandma, because she didn't "want her to be sad."<p>

During the movie, Artie had drifted off to sleep, and Avery had told Beth that they had to be quiet, so that he could sleep and feel better.

He was jolted from his sleep, when their daughter saw Quinn, and temporarily forgot about being quiet.

"Oh," Avery whispered. "We have to be quiet, because Daddy is sleeping."

"No he isn't," Artie said, from his place on the couch. "Hi, Quinn."

As she leaned over to give him a quick kiss, she felt his forehead. "No fever," she said. "Have you been resting all day, or did you just arrange this so I'd think that?"

"Well, earlier I was outside in the back yard fixing the door on the shed," he said, glancing over at his mother, and Avery, who was giggling. "Then I crawled under the porch to see if I could find that crayon Avery dropped down there the other day. And after that, I climbed up onto the roof to make sure all the shingles were still there."

Quinn giggled. "Might have been more believable if you'd stopped at the shed door," she said. "Everyone have a good day?" she asked, turning to Beth and Avery.

Beth nodded. "Uneventful," she said. "Which, in my books, is a good day."

"I had a good day, Mommy," Avery said. "Daddy and I coloured. We made this for you!" she said, holding out a picture of flowers they had coloured together.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Quinn said. "Definitely one for the fridge. Did you want to stay for dinner?" she asked, turning to Beth.

Beth shook her head. "Ordinarily I would take you up on that," she said. "But I've got several things I'd like to finish up before tomorrow morning."

"Thanks for coming to babysit me," Artie said, grinning at her. "And thanks for picking up Avery, making lunch, and doing…everything today."

Beth grinned back. "You're welcome, sweetie," she said. "It was my pleasure."

After Quinn and Avery had thanked her, and walked her to the door, they went back into the living room, at which point Avery promptly ran off in the direction of the bathroom.

"Good day?" Quinn asked Artie, as she gently picked up his feet, settling herself on the couch, before placing them in her lap.

"It was," Artie said. "I slept for…more of it than I'd care to admit, but it was good."

"How are you feeling?" she asked, playing with the hem of his pants.

"I'm fine," he said, smiling at her.

"And how are you actually feeling?" she asked, again.

"Tired," he said. "And a little lightheaded. But not too bad, considering how I felt earlier this week."

"I thought maybe we'd order something for dinner," Quinn said. "If that's ok?"

He nodded. "What do you feel like?"

"Chinese," Quinn said. "Should I check with Avery? How does that sound to you?"

"Sounds good to me," he said. He wasn't all that hungry, but he knew he had to eat something, so it might as well be Chinese. "And she'll be fine with it…as long as you order her a few extra fortune cookies. The fact that there's paper inside never gets old for her," he added, chuckling.

"Of course," she said. "I'll tell them we need about ten."

He grinned. "She'll love it."

* * *

><p>That night, they went to bed shortly after they'd tucked Avery in.<p>

"I'm really glad you're almost feeling better," Quinn said, as she rested her hand on his chest, her head on his shoulder. "Artie, I was really worried."

"Almost? Woman, I AM feeling better," he said, placing his hand over hers. "I'm practically 100%."

"…right," Quinn said, thinking back to moments before, when he'd steadied himself about five times before transferring to the bed. "If you say so," she added.

"We haven't really talked much about what happened," Artie said, softly. "And I know I promised you we would. So…maybe we should do that now? Or will that ruin the romantic atmosphere I've been building here?"

"If by romantic atmosphere you mean your hand on mine," Quinn said, grinning. "Then I think it'll be ok. But we don't have to talk right now if you don't want to," she said. "It can wait."

"No…I do," he said. "I promised I would. Except I don't even know where to start."

"I think we should try again," Quinn said, breaking the silence he'd created with his statement a minute before. "And again and again and again. Something has to work, right?"

She felt Artie shift nervously beneath her hand, and wondered if she'd said the wrong thing.

"…unless you don't want to?" she asked, softly. "Artie?"

"I do…" he trailed off. "But I don't know if we should. I don't want to have to put you through anything more, and I don't want to bring another child into this world knowing that I can't be the type of father they deserve."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, glancing over at him, and noticing that his eyes were starting to fill with tears.

"I just…I can't do all the normal dad activities," he muttered. "And what if you do get pregnant and the baby is a boy? Avery doesn't seem to mind that her Daddy can't do a lot of things, but boys are different," he went on. "It wouldn't be fair to them. And it's not fair to you either."

"What's not fair to any of us," Quinn said softly, propping herself up and looking into his eyes, "is that you feel like you're not good enough for this family, babe."

"I just can't be everything you need me to be," he whispered. "And I'm sorry."

"Artie, you're ten times more than we will need you to be," she said, softly, running her hand through his hair. "You're an amazing father, and an amazing husband, and just…amazing in general," she said. "And don't apologize…because there is absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

"But-" he started, before she cut him off.

"If we have another baby, they're going to feel just the same was as Avery and I do about you," she said. "It doesn't matter if it's a boy, or a girl. They will love you, because you're their father, and because they will see how great you are, even if you can't see it yourself."

By that point, tears had spilled down both of their cheeks. Artie reached out, softly touching her cheek, before gently drawing her down to him.

"Quinn," he whispered. "I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry," she whispered back. "Please, Artie. One day you're going to realize just how fantastic you really are for us," she went on. "And maybe then you'll feel better about everything."

"I was actually going to say that I was going to grab my glasses, so I could actually see you," he said, grinning at her.

"Sure you were," she said, grinning back. "I believe that 100%."

"What do you think we should do?" he asked her, once he'd moved a bit, and she was lying in his arms.

"I think we should make an appointment with Dr. Scott, to talk about where we go from here," she said. "And I think you should give that counsellor a call and set up an appointment. Just to talk."

"I don't think I need to talk to a counsellor," he said. "But I will call Dr. Scott."

"I just thought the counsellor might be a good idea," she went on, wrapping her fingers around his. "Just so you have someone impartial to talk to about what's going on and how you're feeling."

"I don't need that," he said. "I hate talking to people like that."

"I know," she said, softly. "But Artie…I really think it's a good idea. Would you do it for me? Just once, to see how it is? You don't have to go back if it doesn't work out," she said. "But please. One appointment?"

"Ok," he said. "You knew if you asked me to do it for you, I'd cave. Way to take advantage of a sick man here, woman. Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Quinn giggled. "That's what I'm here for," she said.

"I'll do it for you," he said. "But you have to do something for me."

"What?" Quinn asked, wondering what he could possibly want in return for making an appointment with a counsellor.

"Double chocolate fudge cookies. And a cake. On the same day."

Quinn burst out laughing. "Deal," she said. "If you go to an appointment, I will make you both of those things, on the same day, and you can stuff yourself to your heart's content."

"It might also be a good idea if you were wearing lingerie, and let me eat cookies in bed," he said, tightening his arm around her, and kissing her softly on the cheek. "You know…just to take away some of the pain and trauma I'm going to be feeling after baring my soul to some guy I don't even know."

"I can do the lingerie," she said. "But you are not eating double chocolate fudge cookies in our white sheets."

"I had to try," he muttered, grinning. "Just in case."

"I love you," she said. "And I'll do anything for you. But…you're not doing that."

"But I get the cookies, cake, and lingerie, all on the same day?" he asked.

Quinn nodded.

"Consider the appointment made," he said. "But for now…I think we both need sleep. Are you comfortable?"

She nodded again. "I love you, Artie."

"I love you too," he said, as they both slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! Another chapter! This was fun to write. As I'm sure you all know…Artie/Avery is my absolute favourite.**

**Mostly fluff, tiny bit of angst for those of you that demand it (you know who you are), and just generally setting the scene for the events to come.**

**Again, thank you to all the fabulous people who reviewed! I love you all!**

**This chapter wasn't as heavily co-written with Megan as the last few, but we did still talk about it extensively, so…credit must go where credit is due! :D**


	16. Chapter 16

"I've changed my mind," Artie said, as they pulled into the parking lot. "I'm not going to go."

"Yes you are," Quinn said. "Because Avery and I are meeting Rachel and Ella at the mall in less than ten minutes."

The previous Monday, Artie had called the counsellor's office, as he and Quinn had agreed on. He'd made an appointment for the following Saturday afternoon, as that was the only opening that fit with his schedule, and he couldn't miss any more work. He didn't really want to go, but Quinn had insisted that he make the appointment.

"I'll just come with you," Artie said, making no attempt to even look like he was going to get out of the van.

Quinn glared at him, a half-serious look on her face. "Artie," she said. "Get out of the van."

"Daddy, you have to go," Avery piped up, from her place on the back seat. "I'm going to get new clothes, and I want them to be a surprise. You can't come!"

"Thanks, princess," Artie said. "You could have said you wanted me to come, and then I wouldn't have to go!"

Avery giggled. "Daddy," she said. "Mommy said you have to go. And we have to listen to what she says."

"Oh," Artie said. "Really?" He glanced over at Quinn, who nodded at him, trying not to burst into giggles.

"I guess I'd better go then…" he said. "Get something pink, ok?"

Avery grinned. "I will, Daddy," she said. "Just for you."

Once Artie was out of the van, he turned to Quinn. "I can't believe you're abandoning me here like this," he said. "Who knows what happens in places like this?"

"Um…you talk to them, and then your wife picks you up?"

"I still can't believe you're dropping me off like a five year old. Did you not trust me to come by myself, woman?"

Quinn grinned. "You know I trust you," she said. "But you also know that I know you have a history of not going to things like this. I guess if you really don't think it will help…" she trailed off, trying to look disappointed.

It worked.

"Fine," he muttered. "Have fun shopping. I'll just be here, being miserable with some stranger."

Quinn's grin widened. "That's the spirit!" she said. "And we will have fun. According to the flyer, we're looking at up to 80% off. And Avery desperately needs new clothes."

Artie grinned back. "Remember," he said. "Make sure she gets something pink."

Quinn giggled. "I think we're going to have a hard time convincing her to get anything that ISN'T pink," she said, leaning down to kiss him. "We'll be back at noon, ok?"

He nodded. "Drive safely," he said to her, as he waved to Avery.

"Always," Quinn said. "I know how you feel about your precious cargo."

* * *

><p>As Artie entered the office, the first thing he noticed was that he was the only person using a wheelchair in the waiting room. He was also the only person under 50. As he approached the reception desk, he noticed a sign that said something about a podiatrist, and realized that was probably why.<p>

After he'd let them know he was there, he sat for a minute, wondering what on earth had possessed him to actually go inside. Just as he thought that maybe he could sneak out, his name was called, and he found himself being escorted into a comfortable-looking office.

The office was empty. He thought again about making an escape, as he looked around the office, but realized that the receptionist would probably be suspicious if he left two minutes after she'd shown him in.

He glanced around, looking for some other means of escape. There was a window that looked promising, he thought, before he realized that was ridiculous and would actually not work at all. Finally he decided he'd be better off to just wait and see what happened, when the door off to the side opened, and a man in his mid-forties entered the room, in a wheelchair.

Artie just looked at him for a second, as a hundred thoughts whirred through his head, before what he was seeing actually made sense, and the man spoke.

"You're in the right office," he said, his tone light, and friendly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to ask to take a look at your feet," he added, grinning at Artie, who was still grasping for…he wasn't sure what, but something so that he could actually speak, instead of just sitting there.

After a brief moment, Artie grinned back. "Well," he said, his tone slightly playful. "I've got some of the softest feet around…and no signs of corns, callouses, or bunions, so if you're a podiatrist, they probably won't be very interesting for you."

The man nodded, grinning at him. "Had an ingrown toe nail a couple of weeks ago," he said. "Doc next door fixed it no problem. Didn't hurt a bit."

Artie laughed. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all. At least the guy appeared to have a sense of humour.

"Now, I'm really hoping you're Arthur," the man said, extending his hand. "Because if not, maybe you ARE in the wrong office," he added, grinning at Artie. "I'm Rafael."

"Actually, I generally go by Artie," he responded, shaking his hand. "My grandfather goes by Arthur. I think he's probably been to the podiatrist next door…" he trailed off, grinning back.

Rafael laughed. "Dr. Scott said you might be calling to book an appointment a couple of weeks ago," he said. "Thought maybe we could talk about some stuff."

Artie nodded. "I don't mean to be rude, but I…actually wasn't going to. Until my wife played the 'do it for me' card. And then, when we got here, my daughter played the 'Daddy, we have to go buy me new clothes so they can be a surprise for you' card. Between the two of them…Well, here we are," he finished, smiling as he remembered both their faces when they had made those requests.

"Ahhh," Rafael said, leaning back in his chair. "I know both those cards well. Why don't you tell me a bit about your family?"

Artie was pretty sure that the counsellor had all that information in his file, but he was never one to pass up an opportunity to talk about Quinn and Avery.

"Well," he said, "Quinn and I have been together for around ten years, and married for seven. Our daughter, Avery, just turned six," he went on. "Not that you don't already know most of this…" he trailed off.

Rafael chuckled. "Well," he said, "I do have most of it in a file over there, but I generally like to hear from people, instead of just reading about them."

"I have a picture," Artie said, reaching for his wallet. "Or…six, actually," he added, as he pulled them out.

"These are great," Rafael said, as he flipped through the pictures, stopping at the second to last one. "Looks like Avery really loves her Daddy," he said, as he looked at the picture, in which Avery had her arms wrapped around Artie's neck, the biggest grin on her face.

"Yeah, she does," Artie said softly.

"And her conception was…?" Rafael trailed off, a questioning look on his face.

"A miracle," Artie said. "It just kind of…happened. Unassisted. However…I can't recreate that miracle," he muttered, almost to himself. "And so, here we are. Is this the part where you stroke your goatee and ask me how I feel about that?"

"Well, since I don't have a goatee," Rafael said, grinning at him, "no. But if you want to tell me how you feel about that, go ahead."

"I think it's pretty clear how I feel about that," Artie said. "Or I wouldn't be here. Is that how this usually works? I feel like I should be lying on a leather couch. Not that anyone's ever made me lie on one before, but, you know…" he trailed off, cursing the word vomit that had decided to spew from his mouth.

"Sorry," he went on. "I've just been finding it easier to live in semi-denial."

Rafael nodded. "I know about that," he said, wheeling over to his desk, and reaching for a picture frame. "This is my family," he said, holding it out to Artie. "Sandra and I have been married for just over 20 years. Jordan is 15, and Elaina is 10."

Artie smiled, looking at the photo. Before he could say anything, Rafael spoke.

"Jordan took three years and all sorts of procedures to conceive," he said. "And Sandra was pregnant with Elaina less than two months after we started trying."

"Wow," Artie said, unsure of what else to say.

"In most lines of work similar to mine," Rafael went on, "the counsellor's personal life isn't a frequent topic of conversation. But I've never had someone through this office that I didn't talk about it with," he said. "I think it's an important part of the work I do, to be open about these things."

Artie nodded.

"I know it seems like nothing is ever going to work," Rafael continued, placing the picture back on his desk. "But it will. And when it does, it'll feel unlike anything you've ever experienced."

"And if it doesn't?" Artie asked. "I mean, not to sound totally negative about this, but…that happens sometimes too, right?"

"It does," Rafael said. "But that doesn't mean it's the end of having children for you. You guys could adopt, or make arrangements for a sperm donor. There are lots of alternatives."

"I have thought about both those things," Artie said. "But I don't know how I feel about a sperm donor, and I don't know how Quinn would feel about adoption," he went on. "She…got pregnant when we were in high school, before we were together, and she gave the baby up for adoption. I don't want to stir up those feelings," he finished, softly. "I think it would hurt her too much. She said she'd be fine with it, if that's what we chose to do, but I just…I don't know…" he trailed off. "If we actually went through with it, I'd be worried that it might be too much for her."

Rafael nodded. "After the first year and a half, Sandra and I considered adoption," he said. "I was adopted myself, when I was just over a year old, so I saw it as an opportunity to give another child the same opportunity that was given to me," he explained. "But Sandra insisted that we wait, because she knew something was going to work eventually. Now that our kids are a little older, we're actually considering doing some foster care," he went on.

"That's great," Artie said, hoping it sounded like he genuinely meant it, because he did. He didn't want Rafael to think he was just giving him the response he thought most appropriate.

"I'm pretty sure that adoption saved my life," Rafael said, after a moment. "I was born in Brazil. My birth mother was young, and, when I contracted polio shortly after birth, she realized she couldn't care for me properly, and left me at the hospital," he explained. "They eventually turned me over to the local orphanage, and shortly after that I was adopted by my parents, who were in Brazil doing some humanitarian work. They brought me back here and, 42 years later, here we are. So maybe," he continued, "Quinn would see adoption as saving a life, and not as a painful reminder of something she did over ten years ago."

Artie nodded, absorbing the man's story. "I just feel like I should be able to give her that," he muttered, after a minute. "And I can't do it on command, and it's really making things…a little difficult," he finished. Actually talking seriously about the matter at hand was pretty much the last thing he had planned on doing at the appointment, but after chatting with the man for a short time, it felt like the right thing to do. And maybe Quinn was right…maybe it would be helpful. Maybe it would make it so he could finally talk about everything with her.

"I haven't exactly been handling any of this in the most appropriate manner," he went on, giving some details about the previous couple of weeks. "I actually haven't been handling it at all. I've just been shoving it under the rug, trying to pretend everything is fine."

Rafael nodded. "This probably isn't helpful," he said, "but what you're feeling is very common."

Artie chuckled. "I would imagine it is," he said. "I just feel like I'm totally failing at providing what my family needs. Avery's been asking when she's going to be a big sister, because she really wants that, and Quinn…I don't know if I can handle seeing her face when it doesn't work again."

"Have you talked to Quinn about this?" Rafael asked.

"A bit," Artie said. "But probably not as much as I should. I talked about it with my mom, too, a couple of times. I just feel like I need to be strong for both of them, and I need to believe something is going to work, and it's just hard," he admitted. "I feel like I should just be able to take charge of the situation, and run with it…so to speak. So far I've been able to sort of convince myself that everything is ok," he went on. "But I know if I talk about it with her…if I talk about everything with her, then I won't be able to keep that façade going."

"Do you think she already knows how you're feeling?" Rafael asked, moving a bit closer. "You've been together for ten years? She can probably read you like a book. My wife could after five."

Artie grinned. "I've also been trying to convince myself that she can't do that," he said. "Even though I know she can."

Rafael chuckled. "That's how this usually works," he said. "The wife always knows. Even when you think she doesn't."

"She's just handling this whole thing way better than I am," Artie said. "Or…that's what it seems like. She just keeps insisting that it's going to work, and that there are other things we can do, and eventually we're going to have another baby. But then there's this part of me that's wondering if she actually ISN'T handling it as well as I think she is, and that just makes me feel ten times worse, because all of this is my fault."

Rafael nodded. "It's not your fault this isn't going as fast as you'd like it to. I KNOW you know that, even if you've convinced yourself that it is," he said. "My wife runs a small support group for some of the wives," he said, handing Artie the card he'd grabbed from his desk while he spoke. "That might be something for Quinn to think about. There's no cost, and it's just a place to talk…much like we're doing right now."

"Thanks," Artie said, taking the card. "I just want her and Avery to be happy," he continued. "I actually don't even care what I have to do to get them there anymore at this point."

"And you think they're not happy now?" Rafael asked.

"I know they are," Artie said, looking down at his lap. "But it just feels like something's missing, for both of them, and I'm pretty sure that something is another baby."

"And you don't think part of that something that's missing might be you?"

Artie looked up, a questioning look in his eyes.

Rafael went on. "Maybe you're so focused on that, that you don't realize that you're not the same as you usually are. Maybe Quinn's missing the Artie she married, and Avery's missing having her Daddy there for her 100% of the time."

"I don't know what you mean," Artie said, trying not to let the slight annoyance that was suddenly running through his mind be evident in his voice. "I'm the same as I've always been."

"From what you've said, I don't see how that's possible," Rafael said. "And I think part of the reason Dr. Scott suggested you speak with me is that he knows that as well."

"I should really go," Artie said, glancing around for a clock.

"My intention wasn't to make you mad," Rafael explained. "But your reaction to that tells me even more than if you hadn't reacted at all."

"I just…can't deal with this anymore," Artie admitted. "Any of it. We had a massive blow up last week, which ended with me being in the hospital with the kidney infection from hell, because I chose to ignore that while I was ignoring everything else. Sometimes I feel like I don't even want it to work, because I don't want to bring another child into the world knowing that they're going to have to-" he stopped suddenly. "Never mind."

"That they're going to have to what?" Rafael asked, suspecting he already knew the answer. He knew where thoughts like that usually ended up.

"Nothing," Artie muttered. "I really need to leave now."

"It's only 11:40," Rafael said. "We still have another 20 minutes. What were you going to say?"

"Nothing," Artie repeated. "Never mind."

"I know what you were going to say," Rafael said, after they sat in silence for a minute. "You don't need to stop yourself because you think I'm going to be offended," he went on. "I've heard everything. Trust me."

"Sorry," Artie muttered. "There was just an…incident, a couple of weeks ago at Avery's birthday that reinforced something I've suspected for a long time, but never actually fully believed. I don't want another child to have to go through something like that."

As Artie explained what had happened at and after the party, Rafael sat there, nodding, and making the occasional comment. When Artie had finished his story, he spoke.

"Is Avery still upset about that?" he asked.

Artie thought for a moment. "She hasn't talked about it anymore," he said. "She's never really asked questions about…this," he said, gesturing down to his legs and chair, "but after that, she did ask her grandma why I was sick. And now she keeps checking to make sure my 'parenthesis' isn't making me sick," he said, smiling slightly as he thought of her, trying to wrap her mouth around the word. "She would never have asked that before. But now that she knows that something is wrong with me…" he trailed off.

"Do you think she sees you differently?" Rafael asked. "I mean…has she suddenly stopped loving you, or is she acting radically different in your presence now?"

"Um…no," Artie said, thinking about what he'd just been asked. "As far as I can tell, she still thinks her daddy is the greatest," he admitted.

Rafael smiled. "Now, if can just get her daddy back to the place where he knows he's the greatest, we'll be good to go."

They continued to talk, until there was a soft knock at the door. Once Rafael had indicated for the person to come in, the receptionist stuck her head in.

"Artie?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I have your wife out here," she said. "She was just wondering if you were still here. It's almost 12:30."

"Oh…" Artie trailed off, glancing at Rafael. "Well, I'm obviously still here," he said, smiling.

"Gina, show the lady in!" Rafael said, grinning at the woman. "I didn't notice the time," he said to Artie. "You were my last appointment of the day."

Artie was just about to say something, when Quinn walked in.

After a brief round of introductions, Artie insisted that they'd better leave, because he'd already kept Rafael longer than necessary. As they headed out the door, Rafael told him that, should he want to make another appointment, he could do so with the receptionist, or he could call the next week to book one.

Artie thanked him, and told the receptionist he'd call on Monday or Tuesday to book another one. He wasn't sure if he actually would, but he felt slightly guilty, and decided he would probably end up doing that. And it had been helpful, he reasoned as they headed outside.

"Where's Avery?" he asked, once they were at the van.

"Play date with Ella," Quinn said. "She said to tell you she'd be home in plenty of time for your fashion show. We got SO many good deals today."

Artie grinned. "Well, since it's just the two of us, can I interest you in a romantic lunch date?"

Quinn giggled, as she tossed the keys to the van to Artie. "Ok," she said. "But only if you drive."

He sighed, waiting for the ramp to lower. "Fine," he said, pretending he really didn't want to do it. "But that means I get to pick where we go."

* * *

><p>Once they'd settled on somewhere for lunch, and were waiting for their food, Quinn smiled at Artie. "How was it?" she asked. "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."<p>

"It was ok," he said. "We talked about a lot of stuff. Oh, before I forget," he added, reaching for his wallet. "Here," he said, handing her the card. "Rafael's wife runs a support group thing…I thought maybe you might want to give her a call."

"Oh," Quinn said, taking the card. "I don't think I need to do that. But thanks."

"I have three options here," Artie said. "Which one do you want?"

"What?" Quinn asked, a confused look on her face.

"Well," he said, "I could go with option one, which requires me to bring up that we said we'd do things we didn't want to, if we thought it would help. Which is why I had my…well, you know, manhandled by a nurse that I'm pretty sure used to be a linebacker."

Quinn giggled.

"Or we could go with option two," he said, "where I try to convince you that it would be harmless, and you should check it out."

Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"And then option three," he finished. "Where I pull a Quinn slash Avery and guilt you into going like you two did to me this morning."

Quinn grinned, sheepishly.

"What did you tell her to make her want to get rid of me?" he asked, grinning back. "It has to have been something good."

"I told her you needed to go because it would be good for you," she admitted. "I also might have told her you needed to go so she could surprise you with her new clothes."

"As I suspected," Artie said. "You probably promised her ice cream at the mall, too, didn't you?"

"No, I promised her that to get her to go home with Ella and Rachel," Quinn said, grinning at him. "Actually…lunch wasn't in my plans. I was just going to get you home and tear your clothes off," she whispered, so no one sitting around them would hear. "Now that you're feeling better."

"I'm…not hungry anymore," Artie whispered back. "Maybe we should leave right now."

Quinn shook her head. "We're here," she said, "and I'm starving. You'll need to eat, to build up your strength for what I've got planned for you."

Artie's eyes widened. "What…do you have planned for me?" he asked.

"We're painting the spare room," she said, grinning at him. "I just figured it would be easier without clothes."

* * *

><p>"So, you never told me what happened at your appointment today," Quinn said, a couple of hours later, as they lay in bed together, his arm wrapped around her. "Like I said at lunch, you don't have to," she added. But, judging from her tone, Artie knew that he actually did have to.<p>

"We just talked about stuff, and how I've been feeling about what's going on, and how you've been feeling, and Avery," he said. _And about how inadequate I feel_, his mind added.

"And do you think it helped?" Quinn asked. "Are you glad you went?"

"I think so," Artie said. "My shoulders definitely feel a little lighter. And…it was kind of nice to know I was dumping it on someone who does that professionally, rather than on someone I love," he added.

"Hey," She said, reaching up and gently placing her hand on the side of his face. "You know you can dump that stuff on me anytime, right?"

"I know," he said. "But I don't feel like it's fair. You already have enough to deal with."

"If you know that," Quinn said, "then you also know that you're not something I 'deal with.' I love you, Artie, and part of that means that I'm here so you can talk to me. About anything. And everything."

"Do you feel like I don't love you because I haven't talked about all this stuff with you?" he asked, softly.

"No!" Quinn said. "Artie! Of course I don't feel like that. I know you're not because you don't want to upset me, or you don't want me to know just how much this is affecting you, but Artie…I do. Think about how long we've known each other. I can tell twenty things about how you're feeling just by looking at you, just like you can tell I can't find my purse by looking at me."

Artie grinned at her. "It's nice to know that you can see into my soul, and all I can see is that you've lost your purse," he said, biting back the laughter that suddenly changed the moment from a serious one to something lighter.

She giggled. "You know what I meant," she said, swatting playfully at his arm. "I just…I miss the old Artie."

"The old Artie?" he asked, a questioning look on his face.

She nodded. "You're less happy now than you used to be," she said. "Even if you try not to let that show…I know you are. And Avery notices too. Why do you think we're constantly baking cookies?"

"Because…everyone knows I like cookies?" Artie asked, instantly feeling guilty. Rafael had been right.

"We're constantly baking cookies because Avery insists that we do, to make you happy," she said. "She asks me almost every day, if we can make something to make you happy. That never used to be the case."

"Only on Physio days," Artie said, softly, silently wishing he could kick himself.

"If this is making you this miserable," Quinn went on, "then maybe we should stop trying. Maybe it's not worth what it's doing to this family."

"But I thought we were doing it for our family," Artie said, quietly. "I just want you and Avery to be happy," he added.

"We are," Quinn said. "And we will be, even if we don't have another baby. I just want whatever's best for everyone," she went on. "And if our trying this, and failing, does this to you, then I don't want to do it anymore. I don't want you to feel like this anymore, babe."

"Quinn," he said, his voice tight, with the lump threatening to rise into his throat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "You don't need to be sorry about how you feel, ever. Someone important told me that once."

"Someone important told me that, too," he said, reaching out and pulling her closer to him. "But that didn't make me stop apologizing."

She smiled at him, through her tears. "What do we do from here?" she asked.

"Well," he said, gently caressing her back. "I think from here…I go back and talk to Rafael, you give his wife a call to see about the support group, we talk to Dr. Scott, and then we talk to each other. And be honest about everything we're feeling. And then we see where that leads us," he finished. "How does that sound?"

Quinn nodded. "I think that sounds great," she said.

After lying together in silence for a few minutes, Artie glanced at the clock.

"What time did Rachel say she'd drop off Avery?"

"Four," Quinn said. "Why?"

"Because it's 3:55," he said, "and neither of us is wearing pants. Or…anything, for that matter."

**A/N: Another RIDICULOUSLY long chapter, done!**

**Heavily co-written with Megan (aka GLEEful Heart)! Or, as usual…we talked about it extensively, and then I did the actual writing, based on everything we talked about!**

**Hope you enjoyed! This story is becoming WAY longer than I'd anticipated it being! The end is…not even close to being in sight yet. I hope that's alright with everyone. :D**

**Remember…your reviews make me happy…just like cookies make Artie happy. ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

"So, I've decided I'm not going to go," Quinn said, as she put a plate of pancakes on the table. "I don't really see any point. Maybe I'll just go with you guys instead."

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to pull a Quinn slash Avery, and drop you off?" he asked, trying to suppress the grin that threatened to spread across his face.

"I do not need to be dropped off," Quinn muttered, glaring at him slightly.

"And I did?" he asked, wheeling over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You could go check it out," he said. "Maybe it'll be good. And if not…just pretend I've texted you and you need to leave urgently," he added, grinning up at her, as she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek.

"I guess," she said, as she heard Avery and Bailey heading towards the kitchen. "Fine, I'll go. But if it's bad, I'm leaving. Deal?"

"Deal," Artie said, as Avery came around the corner and flew into his arms.

* * *

><p>As Quinn pulled into the large yard, double checking that the house number was correct, she felt slightly sick. Why had she agreed to go to the support group in the first place? Was this how Artie felt when they'd dropped him off for his appointment? No wonder he hadn't wanted to go!<p>

She pulled in next to a couple of other cars, taking a couple of deep breaths and looking in the mirror before exiting her car.

As she walked to the door, she thought about turning around and leaving, before realizing that she'd already been spotted…It was too late.

Before she was even within knocking range of the door, it was thrown open, and a brightly-smiling woman greeted her. "You must be Quinn," she said, holding open the door, gesturing for her to come in. "I'm Sandra. It's so nice to meet you," she said, holding open her arms, rather than extending a hand like Quinn was expecting.

After the brief embrace, Sandra led her into the spacious living room. There were a couple of women sitting on the couches that lined the walls, and once introductions had been made, Quinn found herself sitting next to one of them on a plush, brown couch.

They chatted a bit, and soon several more women arrived, introducing themselves kindly to Quinn, before sitting down. One of the first things she noticed was that she was younger than everyone else there. She wondered for a moment why that might be, before pushing it out of her mind. The ages of these women didn't matter. They weren't the only young couple that was having problems…other people were too. Right?

The meeting was a lot longer than Quinn had anticipated. At one point she wanted to say she had to go, to get back to her family, but she found herself unable to. She didn't feel like she could lie to the women in the group…and she was actually finding it helpful. She listened to one woman talk about how she and her husband adopted a baby, after trying unsuccessfully to have one of their own for several years. Another woman talked about how both she and her husband had problems with fertility, and had been trying for almost ten years without success, but did not want to adopt.

Several more women talked about what they had been through, things they had tried, or were trying, and then it was Quinn's turn, which caused her to freeze. She had just started to feel comfortable, and all of a sudden she just wanted to cry. She had known that the topic of adoption would come up, and she'd been ok, but when she actually had to say something, she didn't know what to say.

She started by talking a bit about Avery, and how she'd miraculously been conceived, and then she talked a bit about what they had tried, and what they were considering. She skirted around the subject of adoption entirely, not wanting to discuss it at all. She didn't mention that she'd given a baby up for adoption once before, and she most certainly wasn't going to tell these women that she didn't think she could ever adopt a baby, because it would be too much of a reminder of what had happened when she was younger. These women had tried so many things, and been through so much…she felt like it would be rubbing it in their faces to say that she'd had a baby and given her away. There was a bit of discussion, lots of comforting words from the other women, and then it happened.

"Have you considered adoption?" Sandra asked, from her position beside Quinn on the couch.

Quinn just stared at her for a moment, suddenly feeling like she was going to burst into tears.

"I, um…" Quinn tried to think of something to say, clearing her throat. "I…no, we haven't really considered that. I can't-I mean-I can't," she said, softly, her eyes filling with tears.

No one said anything, as Sandra put her arm around Quinn, pulling her in and hugging her.

"It's ok," she said, looking at Quinn. "I know it's not for everyone."

"No, it's not that," Quinn said, quietly. "I…" she wondered if she should explain, or if she should just make some excuse and run away from the house as fast as she could. Finally she decided she just had to be honest. After all, most of these women had opened up to her, and they didn't even know her.

"I had a baby when I was in high school, and I gave her up for adoption," she said, quietly. "I couldn't keep her. And then we had Avery earlier than we had planned, and maybe we weren't totally ready for her, but we were married and would never have considered not keeping her, and sometimes I feel like maybe the problems we're having now are punishment for me giving up one baby and keeping another one, and I don't understand why God would punish Artie for my mistakes," she choked out, sobbing.

Muriel, the woman who had talked about how happy she and her husband were since they adopted their son got up, went over to Quinn, and wrapped her arms around her, as Sandra moved a bit to the side.

"This isn't a punishment," she said quietly, gently rubbing Quinn's back as she continued to cry. "Giving someone else the chance to be a parent like you did when you were in high school is a wonderful and selfless act…it's one of the greatest gifts that can be given."

This just made Quinn cry harder, for several minutes, before she was able to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry," she said, quietly, to everyone, once she was able to speak again. "I didn't think I would react…quite like that," she admitted. "I don't usually talk about that. I mean…I've pretty much never talked about that."

"Well, if there's ever a right place to talk about something like that, this is it," Sandra said, causing Quinn and everyone else in the room to smile a bit.

After her little breakdown, the rest of the time with the group passed quickly, and as she was leaving, when Sandra asked her if she would be back, she found herself assuring her that she definitely would be, despite the fact that she had told herself it was going to be a one-time thing.

As Quinn drove away, she found herself feeling considerably better about the situation. The women she had just met were proof that they would have another child, one way or the other.

* * *

><p>While Quinn was at the support group, Artie and Avery headed over to Ariel's house, to pick her up.<p>

"Daddy," Avery said, as they headed for Ariel's house to pick her up. "How do you know where Ariel lives?"

Artie chuckled. "Because I know everything," he said, glancing at her in the rear-view mirror.

"Ohhh," Avery said. "Sorry, Daddy, I forgot that," she said.

He laughed. "I'm just kidding, princess," he said. "I talked to her dad on the phone the other day, and he told me. Oh," he said, reading the numbers on the houses as they passed. "Here we are!"

As they waited for the ramp to lower, Artie glanced towards the house, noticing that there were three stairs to the front door.

"Why don't you go ring the bell?" he said to Avery, as they headed towards the house.

Avery glanced at him. "But Daddy, why did they make their house so you can't get inside?" she asked, looking at the stairs and then back at him. "That wasn't very nice."

Artie smiled softly. "They didn't," he said. "Lots of people have stairs to their doors…that's a pretty normal thing. Go ring the bell, ok?"

She glanced between her father and the stairs one more time, before walking slowly up them and pushing the button on the doorbell.

After a couple of seconds, the door opened, and Frank greeted Avery, telling her that Ariel was just putting on her shoes, before heading down the stairs and sitting on the second from the bottom.

"I see you found us?" he said to Artie, after greeting him.

He nodded. "The detailed instructions helped," he said, grinning at the older man.

Frank laughed. "Ariel is really excited about today," he said. "She's been talking about it pretty much every waking hour for days. She's never really been invited to do anything, besides Avery's birthday party…" he trailed off. "I just wanted to thank you for inviting her."

Artie smiled, softly, thinking back to his own childhood. "You don't need to thank me," he said, glancing over at Avery, who was smelling the tulips in the flower bed beside the stairs. "Avery's been really excited, too." He was about to go on, when Ariel appeared at the door.

"Sorry," she muttered, in a tone meant only her father. "It took me a long time to put on my shoes."

"Hey," Artie said, grinning at her. "Don't be sorry! We have all the time in the world!"

Ariel glanced over at him, a look of surprise on her face, as Avery ran up the stairs to say hi.

"Ariel," Frank said. "Why don't you show Avery your room before you guys go?"

Ariel nodded, as she and Avery linked hands, and they headed through the door, closing it behind them.

"She's been a little nervous," Frank said, quietly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "Like I said, she's never really done something like this before with someone other than…us," he explained. "She might be a little shy and embarrassed about her speech, but I'm hoping it won't be too bad, because she and Avery have been friends for a while, and that will make her more comfortable. Oh, and when she's tired, her speech slurs a little more, and she drags her left foot, but if you just let her sit down and rest for a bit, she'll be good to go in no time," he went on, trying to cram as much information into the few minutes they had as he possibly could. "Umm…" he trailed off, thinking for a second. "She doesn't have any food allergies, in case you guys are going to be eating, but she really doesn't like strawberries."

Artie nodded, making mental notes as Frank talked. "We'll be fine," he said. "And I come with a built in place to sit down," he added, smiling at the man. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Well," Frank said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the door was still closed. "She's also been a little nervous because she's had some…bathroom issues in the past," he explained. "She was almost five before she had that fully under control, but she hasn't had any problems for a while now, and she won't, as long as she gives herself enough time to get to a washroom. She prefers to wear dresses and skirts because of that, and we always make sure everything is easy for her to get on and off. So…as long as she has enough time, and isn't too embarrassed to tell you she needs a washroom, there won't be any problems."

Artie nodded again. "I'm sure we'll be fine," he said. "Avery makes a point of visiting every washroom in the museum every time she's there, so there'll be lots of opportunities. We're also going to go down to my office, and there's one down there, too, so it should be ok."

Frank chuckled. "I've jotted down my cell number for you," he said, reaching into his pocket, as the door behind him opened.

"Daddy, we have to go," Avery said, as the two little girls stood at the top of the stairs. "We're going to be late."

Artie and Frank watched, as Avery and Ariel made their way slowly down the stairs, holding hands.

"Have fun, sweetie," Frank said to Ariel, leaning forward so she could kiss him on the cheek.

Once Artie and Frank had exchanged final words, the three headed towards the van. Artie got the girls into the van, before getting himself in, and making sure they were securely buckled. Ariel looked a little nervous, but by the time he backed out of the driveway, Avery had her giggling away about something she'd whispered in her ear.

* * *

><p>"And my daddy's office is in the basement," Avery explained to Ariel, as they made their way into the museum. "Sometimes he brings me on the weekend so I can see stuff," she went on. "Daddy," she said to Artie, once he'd finished speaking to one of the people at the front desk, "can we go see your office now?"<p>

Artie chuckled. "Why don't we look at everything else first," he said, glancing over at Ariel, who was holding on to Avery's hand. "You can give Ariel your grand tour."

"Ok!" Avery said, jumping up and down, and turning to Ariel. "We can go see everything, and then we can go see my daddy's office," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ok," Ariel said, quietly, glancing over at Artie, who gave her a big smile.

As they made their way through the various exhibits at the museum, Artie watched the girls. It was no surprise to him that Avery talked almost nonstop the entire time, telling Ariel things that were her favourites, and things that she didn't like.

"And my daddy helped make that," she explained, pointing to a display containing various Ice Age mammal fossils. "He made that one look nice," she said, pointing to a mastodon skull at the front of the exhibit. "And he let me come help," she went on. "I got to have my own little brush, and I cleaned it! Sometimes my daddy needs me to help him."

"What is it?" Ariel asked, staring at the large display.

Artie was about to say something, when Avery cut in. "It's a manstodong," she said. "My daddy knows a lot about them, and they were like big old elephants. But they are all dead now."

"Wow," Ariel said, looking shyly at Artie. "It's big."

He was about to say something, when a little boy running towards the exhibit, bumped into Ariel.

"Sorry," she said, quietly, a small frown on her face.

"He runned into you," Avery said, looking at Ariel. "You don't have to say sorry. He should have said it. And my daddy always says that people are not allowed to run in the museum. Did he hurt you?"

"No, it's ok," Ariel said, looking down.

"Ok," Avery said, turning back to the exhibit. "My daddy helped make that one, too," she said, pointing to a bison skeleton. "But he had to get some help building it because it was too tall for him," she went on. "But that's ok, because Daddy said that lots of people wanted to help."

"Why don't we go check out some other stuff," Artie said, once Avery had finished giving her tour of that area of the museum. "And then we'll go down to my office and have a look at what we've got going on down there. We have some dinosaurs on loan from another museum right now," he went on. "They're pretty neat."

At the mention of dinosaurs, Ariel's face lit up. "I like dinosaurs," she said.

Artie was pretty sure that was the loudest thing she'd said all day.

"Daddy we have to go see them now," Avery said, taking Ariel's hand.

As they headed over to the temporary exhibit, Artie noticed Ariel lagging behind slightly, and Avery slowing down so they were still walking together.

"Sorry I'm so slow," Ariel said to Avery, apologetically.

"It's ok," Avery said, appearing not even to notice that they had slowed down considerably.

"Why don't I give you ladies a lift to the dinosaurs?" Artie asked, stopping them. He thought back for a moment to his childhood, remembering the thousands of times he'd apologized for doing something slower than other kids, or having to do something differently to reach the same goal. It wasn't a good feeling, and he wasn't about to let Ariel feel that way while they were out.

"Yay!" Avery said, before turning to Ariel. "My daddy gives the best rides."

"It's ok," Ariel said, looking down. "I'm sorry."

"But you don't have to be sorry," Avery said. "It's ok."

"Come here," Artie said, gesturing to his lap. "Lots of room for both of you."

Ariel looked up, somewhat reluctantly, before Avery pulled her gently closer to her dad. Artie held out his hand, and helped Ariel carefully up into his lap, before Avery climbed up, and sat down beside her.

"Now my daddy can give us a tour," she explained, turning to Ariel.

Artie chuckled. "Hey!" he said. "I said I'd give you guys a lift, I didn't say anything about giving the tour. That's still your job, Avery."

Avery giggled. "But Daddy," she said. "I don't know about those dinosaurs."

"Ok," Artie said. "Ariel, what about you? Feel like giving a dinosaur tour?"

"Is there a triceratops?" Ariel asked, glancing back at him.

He nodded. "There is," he said. "Do you like triceratops?"

Ariel nodded. "Those are my favourite."

As they continued to make their way over to the dinosaurs, Avery chattered away, happily, waving to various museum employees and telling Ariel their names, and what they did (or what she thought they did) at the museum.

"Wow," Ariel whispered, when they got to the dinosaurs.

"Daddy, do you get to keep these?" Avery asked, looking up at the massive skeletons.

Artie shook his head. "They're just here for a little while," he said. "They actually just got here last week."

"Can we touch one?" Avery asked, looking back at him.

"Not these ones," he said. "But I have some stuff downstairs you guys can touch, if you want to. They're a lot smaller than this, but still pretty nice," he said, grinning at the girls.

"Can we go there now?" Avery asked. "And then we can come back and look at the big dinosaurs some more?"

"I think we could do that," he said, grinning at her. "What do you think, Ariel?"

"Ok," the little girl said, softly. "Do you want me to get down? I don't want to hurt your legs."

"Oh, it's ok," Avery said, before Artie had a chance to respond. "You can't hurt my daddy's legs by sitting on him. He has to go to physio to make them stay healthy."

"I have to go to that too," Ariel said, turning slightly, so she could see Artie's face. "But I don't know anyone else that has to. I used to be scared, but it's ok now."

Artie smiled, softly. "Well, now you do," he said. "And I'm glad it's not scary anymore," he added.

"Daddy, can I come with you one day?" Avery asked, leaning her head against his chest. "I need to learn how to help you."

"You can one of these days," Artie said, immediately regretting his word choice, knowing that Avery would interpret that as 'next time.'

"Are you feeling ok, Ariel? Tired?" he asked, noticing the little girl yawning into her arm.

"I'm ok," she said, sitting up a little straighter.

"I think we'd better get down there and take a look at some of the stuff in my office," Artie said, turning his chair to head towards the elevators.

"Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom," Avery whispered into his ear, as they exited the elevator.

He nodded, rolling them down the hall towards the offices. "Why don't you guys both go?" he asked, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Frank earlier. "We've got lots of time."

As the two girls headed off to the washroom, hand in hand, Artie poked his head around the corner, into Jack's office.

"Hey, Jack," he said. "Giving a little educational tour, hope that's alright."

Jack grinned, standing up from his desk. "Avery?" he asked.

Artie nodded. "Avery and her friend Ariel, actually," he said. "I thought we'd have a look at some of that stuff I've got spread all over every surface in my office and the work room."

"Sounds good," Jack said. "Don't forget to show them those bones that came in on Thursday."

"I haven't even looked at those yet," Artie admitted, as the girls came around the corner. "Hey, do you think you could keep an eye on them for a second why I…attend to something?" Artie asked. He didn't like to leave Avery alone in his office, and she frequently stayed with Jack while he was in the washroom, but he wasn't sure how Jack would feel about having two little girls in his office.

"Of course," Jack said, crouching down as the girls approached. "Hey, Avery!" he said, grinning at her.

"Hi Jack," Avery said. "This is my friend Ariel."

"Hi Ariel," Jack said, warmly. "What do you say we go check out some stuff for a few minutes while your dad goes to take care of some stuff, Avery?" he asked, standing up.

"Can we clean something with a little brush?" Avery asked. "I want to show Ariel."

"I think we can do just that," Jack said, reaching out to take their hands. "Let's go have a look."

* * *

><p>When Artie returned, he found Avery and Ariel sitting beside each other on two stools, gently brushing at a large piece that Artie thought Jack had obviously pulled from the bin he hadn't looked at yet.<p>

"What've we got here?" he asked, rolling up beside them.

"It's a dinosaur bone!" Ariel said, her face lighting up with excitement.

Artie glanced over at Jack, as Avery busily brushed away at the fossil. "Is this out of that bin?" he asked. "This is pretty good…I thought most of that…wasn't."

"No, I pulled this off the shelf," Jack said. "The bin stuff isn't worthy of these two lovely ladies."

Avery giggled, and leaned over and whispered something to Ariel, which set her off giggling as well.

They chatted for a bit longer with Jack, before he announced that he'd better get back to work, if he wanted to get home to his wife on time.

"Daddy, I'll be right back, I have to go tell Jack something. I forgot," Avery said, looking over at Artie. "Is that ok?"

"Of course," Artie said. "Do you need me to come with you?

"No, it's ok," Avery said, jumping off the stool. "I can go by myself. Daddy, you can stay here with Ariel."

"Will do, princess," he said, as she ran out of the room. "So," he said, turning to Ariel. "Are you having fun?"

She nodded. "I really like dinosaurs," she said, blushing slightly, and lowering her head. "Thank you for bringing me," she added, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

"What was that?" Artie asked, leaning forward a bit, wondering if he'd heard her correctly.

"I said thank you for bringing me," she said, a little louder. "And I'm sorry I talk funny," she added, softly.

Artie had been listening to Ariel apologize for various things all day, trying not to let it bother him too much, but the small, soft apology sent him over the edge.

"Hey," he said quietly, swallowing the lump he felt rapidly rising in his throat. "Ariel, you don't ever have to apologize for that. To anyone. Ok?"

"But sometimes people can't understand me," she said, putting down the brush she was holding.

"I could understand you, you were just really quiet and I wanted to make sure I heard you right," he said, trying to think of what to say that might make her feel better. "I can understand you just fine. And so can Avery. And your parents," he added, grinning at her.

He was about to say something else, when Avery ran back into the room, and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

When they'd finished in his office, and had gone around parts of the museum a second time, they headed out to the van.

Artie made sure they were safely buckled into their seatbelts, before moving himself into the driver's seat, and pulling out of the parking lot.

When they pulled into Ariel's driveway, the trio exited the van, just as Frank opened the door.

"Hi Daddy!" Ariel said, heading towards him. "I'm back now!"

"Hey, sweetie!" Frank said, as she took his hand. "Did you have fun?"

Ariel nodded. "I got to touch dinosaur bones, Daddy!" she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow," Frank said. "Great!"

"Come look at my flowers," Ariel said, letting go of his hand, and reaching for Avery's. "They're in the back yard."

Avery glanced at Artie, who smiled and nodded, before taking Ariel's hand and following her.

"Looks like you guys had a good time?" Frank asked Artie, sitting down on the stairs like he had earlier, putting himself closer to eye-level with him.

"We did," Artie said. "A very good time, actually. She got a little tired, so we had a little tour with them on my lap, hung out in my office, cleaned some dinosaur bone…" he trailed off. "I think they both had a really good time. We'll have to do it again sometime."

Frank grinned. "No problems?" he asked.

Artie shook his head, deciding it best not to mention the little conversation he'd had with Ariel. "None whatsoever," he said. "I was thinking…would you three like to come over to our place for dinner next weekend…Saturday, maybe?" he asked.

"That would be great," Frank said. "I don't think we have anything going on. Why don't I give you a call and let you know?"

"Sounds good to me," Artie said. "If that doesn't work, pretty much any other night is fine, too."

"I'll let you know," Frank said, as he heard footsteps behind him.

"Hey ladies," he said, as the two little girls came through the door. "How're the flowers?"

"So pretty! They smell so nice!" Avery said. "Daddy, there are pink ones and red ones and yellow ones, too!"

"Great!" Artie said. "More exciting than the…pink, red, and yellow ones we have at home?" he joked, grinning at her.

"They're the same," Avery admitted. "But Ariel has them in the floor, not in pots."

Frank and Artie chuckled, as Avery turned to Ariel.

"Thank you for coming today," she said, politely. "I had fun."

Ariel smiled shyly, fingering the hem of her skirt. "Me too," she said.

Avery hugged the little girl goodbye, before turning to Artie. "Daddy, we have to go now!" she said, pulling on his chair, attempting to move it back towards the van. "Mommy misses me. And you," she added, giggling.

"I guess I can't argue with that," Artie said, moving his hands down to his rims.

"I'll give you a call about next Saturday," Frank said, standing up from the stairs he'd been sitting on.

Once they'd exchanged goodbyes, Artie and Avery headed for the van.

"Daddy can we get some ice cream before we go home?" she asked, as she climbed into her seat.

He grinned. "It's almost time for dinner," he said. "But tell you what. After dinner, we could have some. How does that sound?"

She grinned back. "That sounds good to me, Daddy."

* * *

><p>"So, it actually wasn't that bad," Quinn admitted, as they were clearing the dinner dishes off the table, while Artie kept an eye on Avery and Bailey, who were running around in the back yard. "Everyone was really nice, and these people actually know what's going on, Artie," she said, softly. "They know what it feels like to try and want it so badly, and try so many times, and then have it not work, and how it feels to have to tell the person you love that again and again…" she trailed off, blinking rapidly, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she thought of that, and also of everything that had happened during the meeting.<p>

"Hey," he said, wheeling over to her, and drawing her into his lap. "Something is going to work, Quinn," he said softly, rubbing her back as she leaned against him. "And we're going to keep trying, right?"

She nodded, wrapping her arms around him. "I just love you so much," she murmured into his ear. "And I know how much you want this. And so do I, and I just really want something to work," she whispered, letting the tears fall.

"It will," he said softly, holding her against him. "Why don't you phone Dr. Scott's office on Monday, and make an appointment to talk about IVF? I was reading about it, and it sounds kind of dangerous, so if you don't want to try it, then I understand, of course," he added. "It's your choice."

"Of course I want to try it," she said, softly. "And it's not that dangerous," she went on. "I mean…it's more invasive than what we've been doing, like Dr. Scott explained a few months ago, but I really want to try, Artie. Several of the women at the group thing today have had it multiple times, and they seemed fine."

He nodded, and considered saying something about how he'd also read that the cost of the procedure was substantial, and that there was no guarantee it would work, but he figured she had probably also researched both those things, and he didn't want to upset her further by bringing it up. Plus, that was probably one of the things that had been talked about at the meeting she'd been at.

"Not to change the subject," he said, trying to lighten the mood, because they both knew that Avery would be upset if she came inside and found her mother in tears, and her father…almost in tears, "but I kind of…invited Ariel and her family over for dinner next Saturday, or some other day if they realize that doesn't work for them. Is that ok?"

She sat up, looking at him. "You invited someone for dinner that wasn't Puck and Rachel?" she asked, a suspicious look on her face. "Seriously?"

"What?" he asked. "I can invite people over that aren't them…" he trailed off. "I really like Frank, and Avery and Ariel are BFFs, as you know," he said. "I haven't actually met Ariel's mom, but I figure she must be ok?" he went on. "I thought it might be nice."

She nodded. "You're right," she said. "I was just giving you a bad time because you never invite anyone over."

He grinned. "Great," he said, wheeling them over to the glass door leading out onto the deck, so they could watch Avery playing. "She's so perfect," he said, as Quinn rested her head on his shoulder.

"She is," Quinn said, watching as Avery took Bailey's ball and threw it for him. "And we're going to make another one, and he or she will be just as perfect. Right?"

"Right," Artie said, as they cuddled for a moment, before Avery caught sight of them, and ran towards the house.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm really hoping that my very loyal readers don't hate me for not updating this for…months. It's been sitting on my hard drive, ALMOST finished, since the beginning of August, but I hit a serious road block and just needed to take a…long break from it. I am back now, though, and I promise that I will not make you wait for months again for the next chapter! When I sat down to finish this, it just flowed from my fingertips, which means I AM BACK!**

**If you still love me, leave me a review and let me know! :D**

**As always, this chapter has been written with some serious input from Megan (aka GLEEful Heart).  
><strong>


	18. Chapter 18

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean…we can always go home," Artie said, looking over at Quinn as they sat in the van in the parking lot at the doctor's office. "We don't have to do this today."

Quinn looked over, raising an eyebrow. "Artie…we're not _doing_ anything today," she said, reaching out for his hand. "We're just going to talk. To see if this is an option for us. To see if it makes sense."

"But it's dangerous," Artie responded, quietly. Quinn had told him women she'd talked with at her support group had had the procedure done, most of them multiple times, and they were fine. But still…what if something went wrong?

"Talking is not dangerous," Quinn said, grinning at him a little, trying to lighten the mood. If she was being perfectly honest with herself…maybe she was a little worried that it could be dangerous. But she was more concerned with the fact that the procedure was expensive, and they could really only afford to do it once. If it didn't work, then she didn't know what they were going to do. She didn't know what Artie was going to do.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you," Artie said, softly, reaching out and touching her face. "I'd rather know you're safe and not have a baby…" he trailed off, as her eyes filled with tears.

"Nothing is going to happen to me," Quinn insisted, putting her hand over his, pressing it to her cheek. "We're going to go in there, and talk about this, and we're having a baby eventually," she went on, determination in her voice. "And if not…then we're getting kittens," she joked, hoping to see the smile that spread across his face moments after she'd uttered the words. "Lots of kittens," she went on. "You'll just have to get some better allergy medicine. Deal?"

"Deal," Artie said, grinning at her as he leaned forward, planting a kiss on her lips. "I guess we'd better get in there, then. Because I am NOT going to need to find a better allergy medicine."

* * *

><p>As they sat in the waiting room, Artie fidgeted nervously, undoing and redoing the velcro on one of his gloves, until Quinn finally reached over, removing the gloves from his hands without saying anything. Her actions jolted Artie back to reality, and he realized that he'd probably been being a little annoying. But he couldn't help it…the habit had developed shortly after he'd received his first pair of gloves, and it was something that had just continued into adulthood.<p>

Once the gloves were stowed securely in her purse, Quinn reached over, her fingers intertwining with his. They sat, in comfortable silence, until their name was called.

"Abrams?" a nurse called out, smiling at them once Quinn stood up, before leading them to the office that was gradually becoming, for Artie, a place where his dreams weren't going to be met. For Quinn it was more of a place of hope. Hope that one of these times, something would work. Hope that, when that happened, Artie would realize that everything worked out the way it was supposed to.

Waiting for the doctor, she reached over, taking his hand again, gently running her thumb over his callused palm, her fingers subconsciously tracing the scars on his fingers. He thought his hands were hideous, and preferred to keep them covered, but she thought they were beautiful.

She was busy thinking about how she couldn't wait to have his hands on her body again, when Dr. Scott entered his office, jolting her out of that fantasy. She immediately felt embarrassed for having those thoughts when they were there for such a serious meeting…but she couldn't help herself. And plus, maybe, somehow, those thoughts would help them in their efforts.

The doctor greeted them warmly, shaking their hands, causing Quinn to relinquish her grip on Artie's hand, even if just for a moment.

"What can I do for you today?" the doctor asked, looking between the two of them. Really, he already knew why they were there. But he didn't want to assume. When Artie had called to make the appointment, he'd just said they wanted to "talk about some stuff."

Artie just stared at the doctor, unable to put the words together, until Quinn took over, squeezing his hand.

"We wanted to talk about IVF," she said, deciding there was really no point in skirting around the issue, as Artie would have done. "We've decided that that might be something we should…explore," she added, as Artie's grip tightened on her hand.

The doctor nodded, his suspicions being confirmed. Before he could say anything, Artie cut in.

"But if you think it's dangerous…at all, then we're not doing it and getting kittens," he blurted out. "I mean…we're not doing it," he went on, his cheeks turning a shade of pink that almost matched the dress Quinn was wearing.

Quinn bit her lip, trying not to let her amusement with regards to his minor outburst of kittens show. The fact that the doctor also looked slightly amused, and Artie looked dead serious wasn't helping.

"Naturally there are…risks," the doctor said, after a moment. "But as I know you know, Artie, there are risks with anything, even things that seem to be totally risk-free," he added, smiling at Artie, as Quinn gently rubbed is hand. "We've performed this procedure here countless times, with very good success," he added, hoping to reassure both of them. Mostly Artie, he suspected. Quinn appeared to be fine.

"I just don't want anything bad to happen," Artie said quietly, causing the doctor to nod.

They talked about the procedure a bit more, Quinn continuing to hold his hand as he asked about every detail, from the start of the procedure until pretty much the birth of a baby, should it work. Quinn considered stopping Artie from continuing to ask questions about every little detail once they got to the part about actually having a successful pregnancy, but she didn't say anything. She knew he just needed to question everything, to feel like he was prepared for anything that might happen, at any stage.

Once everything had been explained, they talked a bit about ovarian stimulation and then the harvesting of Quinn's eggs for the procedure, which made Artie jump a little, as if it were new information.

"This sounds dangerous already," he said, holding up his hand. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Artie, that's how they do it," Quinn said quietly, leaning a little closer. "You know this. I know you know this," she added, squeezing his hand and smiling at him a little. "But it's going to be totally fine, and they're not going to be doing that for a little while," she added, before glancing over at the doctor."

"It's true," Dr. Scott supplied, nodding. "We'll need to prepare for this using fertility medications, as I mentioned earlier," he added.

"But what about ovarian hyperstimulation?" Artie blurted out, accidentally letting on that he'd done far more reading on the topic than anyone had thought. "That sounds dangerous."

"Artie," Quinn said softly, suspecting the question was the result of lots of nights of googling when she was asleep and he wasn't able to get to sleep. Which seemed to be often. Especially lately. "You have to just stop thinking about things being dangerous. It's going to be fine," she stressed. "People have things like this all the time. And they're fine!"

"But…" Artie trailed off, looking at the doctor, who just nodded at him. He was going to continue, but decided against it. Nothing he could say was going to change Quinn's mind.

The appointment ended with them booking a follow up to arrange for the fertility drugs Quinn would need in preparation for having her eggs harvested. They could have booked it for the following day, Friday, but Quinn had decided that it would be best for everyone if they waited until Monday. That would give her some time to get him a little warmed up to the idea that it wasn't as dangerous as he thought it was.

When they were finished, the doctor bid them farewell, telling them he would see them on Monday afternoon. He discreetly handed Quinn a stack of pamphlets, as Artie turned his chair to leave the office, and she tucked them into her purse, murmuring a thank you that she hoped Artie didn't hear.

* * *

><p>"See?" Quinn said, once they were in the van. "That wasn't so bad! Before you know it, we're going to have a baby," she added, grinning at him, as he nervously chewed on his lip.<p>

"Artie," she added, quietly, reaching over to him. "Don't worry, ok? It's going to be fine. Now…we better go get some pizza and then get home. Because if your mom brings Avery back and there isn't pizza with extra mushrooms like we promised…you know what'll happen, don't you? Personally I think that's a _lot_ more dangerous than anything we talked about in here!"

He glanced over, unable to stop the small grin that spread across his face at the mention of it being dangerous if they didn't get the pizza he'd promised Avery they could have for dinner.

They picked up the pizza, Artie having called it in that morning, and then headed home, arriving about twenty minutes before Beth was scheduled to drop off Avery.

"We have…seventeen minutes," Artie said, glancing at his watch once they were inside. "Can I interest you in a little…studly love?" he added, undoing the top three buttons of his shirt and trying to look sexy.

"Studly love, hmmm?" Quinn asked, grinning at him, thinking that he was the sexist person she had ever seen. Ever. "I could go for some of that," she added, as he reached out for her, pulling her into his lap.

* * *

><p>Saturday morning found Avery bouncing out of her room with Bailey, running down the hall to the kitchen.<p>

"Daddy!" she said, seeing that he was already in the kitchen. "Today is when Ariel and her family are coming over for dinner! Right?" she asked, climbing up into his lap and throwing her arms around him. "That's today, right?"

He grinned, as she kissed his cheek. "That is today, Princess," he said. "But not until tonight. Can I get you some breakfast?"

"Can I have yogurt?" she asked, smoothing down his hair, which was standing up haphazardly on the back of his head. He hadn't really looked in the mirror when he'd finally decided to get up at four. "And a banana? And bacon?" she asked.

"I think we can arrange that," Artie said, wheeling over to the fridge, Avery still on his lap. "What kind of yogurt?" he asked, once they'd pulled the door open together. "Strawberry? Peach? Blueberry? All of those mixed together?"

"Can we do that?" Avery asked, her eyes widening. "Can we?"

"We can! It'll be like a…fruity yogurt party," Artie said, grabbing the yogurt and placing them on the counter beside the fridge. "And what? I heard something about bacon?" he added, looking at her. "I don't see any in the fridge…" he trailed off, pretending to look around.

"I can find it!" Avery said, reaching into the fridge and grabbing the bacon. "Here it is! We should make extra. For Mommy," she added. "Where is she?"

"Princess, it's six am on Saturday…Mommy is still sleeping," he explained, quietly. They really were going to have to start working on time-telling. "But why don't we make her breakfast and bring it to her in bed a little later?" he asked.

"Ok!" Avery said, smiling as she went to grab a banana out of the bowl on the table. "Can you cut this for me?" she asked, holding it out. "And can we put it on top of my yogurt? You can have some too," she added.

Once breakfast was made, Artie and Avery sat at the table, eating their yogurt, banana, and bacon. They sat beside each other, and that was how Quinn found them, when she tiptoed into the kitchen, camera in hand, having smelled the bacon that Artie had cooked. She snapped a couple of pictures, before her presence was noticed.

"Mommy!" Avery said, jumping up, as Artie pivoted his chair to face her. "We were going to bring you breakfast in bed! You can't be here!" she said, as Quinn tried her best to keep from laughing.

"Oh," she said, as Artie grinned at her. "Well, maybe I should just go back to bed then," she added.

Artie was about to protest, when Avery cut in. "Yes, Mommy, go back to bed, and we're going to make you new bacon…because we ate all the bacon Daddy cooked," she admitted, grinning sheepishly. "And we're going to make you special new yogurt, too!" she added. "But you have to go now! You can take Bailey."

Quinn and Artie laughed, as Avery escorted Quinn and Bailey out of the kitchen to the bedroom, before she came back, announcing that they had to make breakfast really fast, because Mommy was hungry.

As Artie cooked some "new bacon" for Quinn, Avery arranged some cut up banana in the shape of a happy face on top of the yogurt that she had set aside for Quinn's breakfast. Before long, everything was neatly arranged on a tray, along with a glass of juice, a cup of tea, and a little vase with a flower that Avery had chosen out of the bouquet sitting on the kitchen table.

They took breakfast into the bedroom to Quinn, and, when she had finished eating, the three of them cuddled in bed for a bit before Avery announced that they had to get up and get ready for Ariel and her family coming to dinner.

* * *

><p>After asking approximately 50 times if it was time for Ariel to be there yet, Avery finally got her wish, when there was a knock on the door.<p>

"I'll get it!" she said, running to the door, Artie wheeling behind her. When she got to the door, she stopped, looking back at him. "Daddy, I'm not allowed to open the door unless you're here, and we know who it is," she said, before opening the mail slot and peeking out. "Who's there?" she asked.

"It's me!" Ariel's voice said quietly through the slot, causing Avery to grin.

"Daddy, it's Ariel. Can I let her in?" she asked, looking back. The scene unfolding in front of him made Artie grin, and he nodded, watching as Avery threw open the door.

"Hi!" Avery said, hugging Ariel, and then looking up at her parents. "Come into my house!" she added, taking Ariel's hand and leading her through the door.

After Ariel had waved hi to Artie, Avery dragged her off to show her her room, leaving Artie to close the door and greet Ariel's parents.

"This is my wife, Donna," Frank said, introducing Ariel's mom, as Artie shook her hand. "And this is Avery's dad, Artie…obviously," Frank added, smiling.

Artie led them to the kitchen, where Quinn had just put the roast she was cooking into the oven, and after a brief round of introductions, Donna insisted on helping Quinn finish preparing dinner, while Artie and Frank were sent to the living room to talk.

They hadn't been there more than a couple of minutes, when Avery and Ariel entered the room, and Avery announced that they wanted to take Bailey out into the back yard to play, because Ariel didn't have a dog and Avery wanted to show her everything he could do.

Artie and Frank escorted the girls to the back yard, sitting on the porch watching as Avery led Ariel slowly down the ramp to the back yard, telling her that she was going to show her everything that Bailey could do.

They watched as Avery started telling Bailey things to do, laughing as Bailey decided to briefly ignore Avery just long enough to plant a big doggy kiss on Ariel's cheek.

"Daddy, don't open the door! I want to show Ariel how Bailey can do it," Ariel called out, as Bailey trotted up the ramp to the door, opening it, before heading inside to get a toy.

"Quinn surprised me by getting him some service dog training for my birthday a few years ago," Artie explained, as Frank watched Bailey come back outside, turning around to grab the rope attached to the door handle and pulling it shut before taking the toy down to the girls. "Not that I…need a service dog," he clarified. "But she thought it would be nice. And he loves doing stuff," he added, as Avery handed Bailey's toy to Ariel and told her to throw it for him.

"I think that's great," Frank said, smiling as Ariel giggled when Bailey brought the toy back. "He's a nice dog. Thanks again for inviting us over here," he added, smiling at Artie. "Ariel's usually pretty shy, and doesn't like to go to people's houses, but she's been excited to come here all week. We used to go out a bit more when she was smaller, but when she was about three she started getting self-conscious about…everything, and then we just stopped going out."

Artie nodded, watching as Ariel and Avery petted Bailey. "I know how that goes," he said, not really sure what else to say. "That feeling of just…yeah," he went on, not really knowing how to put that into words. "I was in an accident when I was eight," he found himself elaborating, as they watched the girls play with Bailey. "When I first got to go home after rehab, I always felt like everyone was watching me, and like I was being the biggest inconvenience ever…even though I know no one ever thought that. Sometimes I still feel like that," he admitted, thinking about the events of the past few months.

"Well, I know someone who doesn't see you like that," Frank said, grinning as Avery yelled for Artie to look at what they were doing. "And I'm pretty sure there's someone else inside making dinner that doesn't either," he added. "Right?"

"Yeah," Artie said, smiling a little as he thought about Avery and Quinn. "Just like you guys would never think Ariel is an inconvenience," he went on, laughing as Avery instructed Ariel what to say to Bailey.

"True," Frank said. "We would never think that about our miracle baby," he added. "We tried for years to get pregnant, unsuccessfully, and then we finally did. It was the happiest moment I've ever had," he went on. "Donna was worried about the possibility of Down syndrome, because we were a little older when she finally got pregnant, and it wouldn't have mattered to us if she had…" Frank trailed off. "I know Donna had this image of our perfect baby in her mind, and then after her birth when they told us there were problems…I was worried about Donna, but as soon as we saw her, we knew we had our perfect baby…even if the doctor told us otherwise," he finished, quietly, smiling as Avery gave Ariel a tour of the entire yard including the tool shed, holding her hand.

Artie just smiled, his eyes drifting over to where he could see Avery showing Ariel something on the ground, which she picked up, before they started making their way back to the porch.

"Daddy, we found this bug," she said, holding out her hands, once they were in front of their fathers. "Look! It has pretty colours. We wanted to show you," she added, before showing it to Frank. "And now we're going to put him in a tree so he's safe," she said, before she and Ariel walked over to one of the potted shrubs sitting on the porch.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Donna and Quinn were getting to know each other in the kitchen, preparing potatoes, vegetables, and biscuits. Every so often one or both of them would look out the window and smile as they watched their daughters play.<p>

"You have a beautiful home," Donna said, as she peeled some potatoes. "And Avery is such a little charmer," she added, smiling. "I help out at the school sometimes, and she always comes and says hi. I'm really glad she and Ariel have become friends."

"I am too," Quinn said, nodding as she glanced out the window, just in time to see the little girls hugging as they stood on the lawn. "Avery talks about Ariel all the time when I pick her up from school, and usually in the evenings too," Quinn went on, laughing. "She always says Ariel doesn't talk much, so it doesn't matter that she does, but sometimes I wonder if maybe Ariel would have more to say if Avery would just give her a chance."

Donna laughed, wiping her hands on a towel hanging on the oven. "She is pretty quiet. I think with a lot of people she's nervous because of her speech, but with Avery she just…she loves when Avery talks to her about everything. She's always talking about something Avery told her," she said, looking into the oven to check on the biscuits."

They chatted for a bit more, while they finished preparing the meal, and soon Quinn went to the door to call everyone inside for dinner. As they all sat around the table, Avery said that they had to say grace, and then proceeded to give a very long and detailed thanks for everyone and everything, before they began eating.

Conversation around the dinner table was pleasant, and once everyone was finished, Avery announced that she and Ariel had to go to her room for a little while, while Artie announced that he would clear the table and get everything in the dishwasher. Frank was quick to offer to help, and Quinn and Donna found themselves being ushered into the living room by Frank, while Artie debated cleaning the pan the roast had been cooked in or just putting it to soak, finally deciding it was probably best to let it soak for a little while.

The kitchen was clean quickly, and soon all four of them were sitting in the living room, talking about their kids, who soon joined them, the girls both crawling into their dads' laps for a cuddle, before Frank announced that they should probably get home soon, as Ariel was starting to fall asleep.

After saying goodnight, and that they would definitely need to do it again, Ariel's family left, and soon after Quinn and Artie tucked a very tired, and very happy Avery into bed.

Once that was taken care of, the two of them cuddled for a bit on the couch, watching a little bit of a movie, before deciding they should go to bed.

"That was nice," Quinn said, as she wrapped her arm around Artie, resting her head on his chest. "They're a nice family."

"Yeah," Artie said, wrapping his arm around her. "They are. I'm glad we had them over."

"Are you ok?" Quinn asked, holding him a little tighter. "You were quiet at dinner."

"I am," he replied, reaching up and gently stroking her hair. "Don't worry. I love you."

"I love you too," Quinn murmured, relaxing against him as he stroked her hair. "And tonight if you can't sleep, wake me up, ok? I don't like it when you spend so much time alone while I'm sleeping."

"I will," Artie said quietly, knowing full well that he would do no such thing when (not if) he woke up or couldn't get to sleep. Quinn needed her sleep, especially since they were going to be starting the fertility medications on Monday.

They stayed there, holding each other, Quinn falling asleep and Artie continuing to lie there, alternating between staring at the ceiling and listening to her soft breathing, feeling her warmth against him. The more he thought about what was ahead, the more he worried about it. He'd done a lot of reading, finding all sorts of information about people having the procedure multiple times without any problems. But he'd also found horror stories where people died as a result of having the same procedure. And he wasn't going to let Quinn die. While they both wanted a baby…they didn't need one THAT badly.

His final thought before finally drifting off to sleep was that their little family was perfect just the way it was, and even if they weren't able to have any more babies, it was still pretty great.

**A/N: I have no excuse as to why this has taken me MONTHS to update AGAIN. But here I am! And hopefully everyone that loves this story is still here too! **

**Thank you for reading, and I'm hoping that you'll leave a review to let me know if you like what's going on here!**

**And, as usual, written with heavy consultation with GLEEful Heart. :D**


	19. Chapter 19

"I've been thinking, and I think we should just keep trying this the…natural way," Artie said, on Monday morning as he and Quinn were getting dressed. "I mean, we're still young…we still have lots of time…" he trailed off, straightening his tie. "There's no need for anything…dangerous," he added.

"Artie," Quinn said quietly, going over and smoothing his hair, before leaning down and kissing him. "I'm also going to start those fertility meds today," she went on. "And then, once that's done, we're going to take the next steps in this, and pretty soon we're having a baby."

"But-but," Artie sputtered, before being silenced by Avery's voice outside their door.

"Mommy, Daddy, are you all dressed and ready now so I can go to school?" she called out. "I've been waiting in my room and playing with Bailey and I think I need some different tights," she went on, as Quinn pulled their door open. "These ones had a accident," she said, pointing to a hole in the knee. "Me and Bailey were playing on the floor and his finger nail accidentally made this hole," she went on, sticking her finger into it.

"Why don't I come see if we can find some other ones for you?" Quinn asked. "While Daddy's finishing getting ready for work."

"Ok," Avery said, waving to Artie as she took Quinn's hand.

While Quinn was finding some different tights for Avery, Artie finished getting ready, grabbing a pair of shoes from the shoe rack in their spacious closet. He'd just finished putting them on, when Avery came running in to show off her new, hot-pink tights.

"Do you like them, Daddy?" she asked, holding up her leg to show him. "Aren't they pretty? I forgetted that we got them one day!" she said, climbing up onto his lap. "Daddy, can you and Mommy drive me to school together one day? Can you today?"

"Daddy has to go to work, Sweetie," Quinn said, coming into the bedroom behind her. "But next week the van has to get some stuff fixed, and then I'm going to drive Daddy to work, so we'll both be able to take you to school. And you can go with me to pick him up after work too," she explained, as Avery grinned, her arms tightening around Artie's neck. "How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Avery cried out, once Quinn was finished talking. "I'm excited!" she added, placing a kiss on Artie's cheek, before getting down from his lap. "Daddy, you have to go to work now, or you're going to be late."

As Artie rolled towards the door, grabbing the lunch that Quinn had made for him, they walked behind him, Avery chattering about what she was looking forward to at school, and Quinn noticing that it looked like Artie's shoulders were a little stiff.

Once Quinn had Avery buckled into the car, she went around to the driver's side, while Artie lowered the van's ramp.

"I'll be here at four fifteen," he said, as she leaned down to kiss him goodbye. "And then we can drop Avery off at your mom's and still be on time for the appointment. Does that sound ok?" he asked, attempting to give her his best smile, even though it didn't quite make it up to his eyes.

"Sounds good," Quinn said, smiling at him. "I'll see you when you get here," she added. "Drive safely, and have a good day at work!"

"You too," Artie said, already wishing he were back home. "I'll call you at lunchtime."

* * *

><p>Artie's workday couldn't have gone any slower. In between directing a couple of the people he was supervising in setting up a new display, he kept checking his watch every few minutes. Finally, at 11:45, he told them to take an early lunch, and retreated to his office, choosing to eat his lunch by himself instead of with Jack and whoever else was around, like he usually did.<p>

"Did I offend you?" a voice rang out from the doorway to Artie's office, as he sat there, totally lost in his thoughts. "Is that why you've shunned me in favour of eating lunch by yourself surrounded by boxes of rocks?"

"Oh, hey Jack," Artie said, looking up. "No, sorry. I was just working on…" he trailed off, looking around his desk for something he could use as an excuse. "I'm not working on anything. I just was thinking about some stuff," he admitted, as Jack entered, sitting down in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Looks like some pretty serious stuff," Jack said, gesturing to Artie's mostly uneaten sandwich. "Everything ok?"

"Oh, yeah, everything is fine," Artie said, picking at the lettuce sticking out his sandwich.

"Does this have anything to do with your leaving early today?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair. "Everything ok with Quinn? Avery? Your parents?"

"They're all fine," Artie repeated, nodding. "And yeah…Quinn and I just have an appointment for some…fertility stuff," he added. He'd sort of mentioned to Jack that that was what was going on when he'd taken the afternoon off the week before, but hadn't really gone into too much detail. "They're starting to give her those drugs, and I'm just a little worried about it."

Jack nodded, regarding his younger colleague. "I'm sure the doctors know what they're doing, though," he said, hoping to reassure him. "Right?"

Artie nodded, smiling a little at Jack's attempts to assure him that it would be ok.

"Tell you what," Jack went on. "Why don't you get out of here, and go home and spend a little time with your family before your appointment. And then if everything is good I'll see you tomorrow. How's that sound?"

"That sounds…" Artie trailed off. He knew he should say that he really shouldn't leave, because they had so much to do. "Wait, what about the exhibit?"

"The exhibit can wait," Jack insisted. "It's not scheduled to open for a couple weeks anyway, and you guys are way ahead of schedule. Go home, ok?"

"Thanks, Jack," Artie said, smiling at him. "I think I will do that."

* * *

><p>Artie quietly unlocked the door, hoping to surprise Quinn and Avery. He made it inside, closing the door behind him. There was no sign of anyone, anywhere.<p>

Rolling quietly down the hall, he peered into their bedroom, and what he saw there melted his heart, a little.

Avery and Quinn were curled up in bed together having a nap, Bailey at their feet. The dog woke up, and Artie gestured with his hand, telling him to stay there as he wheeled into the room. He doubted he could make it onto the bed without waking them, but thought he'd try, holding his breath as he transferred from his chair to the bed, after taking off his shoes.

"Mmmm," Quinn murmured, pulling Avery a little closer to her chest, before slowly opening one eye. "Artie," she whispered, noticing that he was in bed with them, looking slightly shocked. "Is it that late already?"

"Shhh," Artie whispered, putting his arm around her, pulling himself closer to her and Avery. "No, Jack told me to come home early," he went on, as Avery snuggled herself in between her parents. "Looks like I'm just in time for nap time."

Quinn smiled, reaching over Avery to take his hand, bringing it to her lips and gently kissing it. "Just in time," she said, softly.

* * *

><p>"And do you think Grandma will put makeup on me?" Avery asked, as they drove over to Judy's house, to drop her off. "And maybe let me wear a fancy hat?"<p>

Artie chuckled, as Quinn turned in her seat to look back at Avery. "I think Grandma will probably do that with you, if you ask her nicely," she said, which made Avery's face light up even more than it already was. She loved spending time with her grandma, and Quinn just wished that Judy had more time so that it could happen more often.

"And then when you pick me up can we go home and watch a movie?" Avery asked, looking at Quinn. "And maybe have some cookies?"

"I think we can definitely do that too," Artie piped up, turning the van into Judy's driveway.

Once they'd talked to Judy for a minute, making arrangements to pick Avery up in a couple of hours, they drove to the doctor's office.

"This won't take long," Quinn said, once Artie had parked in one of the parking spots outside the door to the clinic. "Before you know it, we'll be picking up Avery, and going home," she added.

"We can still decide not to do this," Artie said, shutting off the van's engine, and activating the swivel mechanism in his seat, so he was facing her. "We can just tell them we've decided against it, and go home," he insisted, reaching out for her hand.

"Artie, we're going in there, and we're going to start these drugs, and nothing is going wrong," Quinn said, squeezing his hand. "It's going to be fine. I was reading online, and it's just…going to be fine. Stop worrying!" Quinn said, pushing what she'd read about side effects out of her mind. She knew that Artie knew more about the sorts of side effects various medications could have than any one person that wasn't a doctor or pharmacist should know, but she hoped he would trust her.

"But what about side effects?" he asked, as if reading her mind. "I don't want you to be sick, or in pain, or…anything," he added softly.

"Artie, it's going to be ok," she said, smiling at him, reaching out with her free hand and gently stroking his cheek. "We'd better get in there, or we're going to be late."

* * *

><p>The appointment went quickly. Artie spent the entire time clutching Quinn's hand, as they ran a couple of tests, talked a bit, and then gave her the first injection of fertility drugs. He watched her closely, for any sign that something was making her uncomfortable, or that she was nervous, but he didn't see any of that.<p>

Artie hadn't wanted her to go get the rest of the injections without him, but she'd insisted that it was fine, and something she could do in the morning between dropping Avery off at school and picking her up.

After everything was finished, and the appointments for the rest of the treatments had been booked, they headed out to the van, Artie insisting on Quinn sitting on his lap because he thought she should be resting.

She was pretty sure she could walk out there herself, because she didn't feel THAT different than she had when they went in, but she didn't argue, settling herself in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he took charge of the situation.

Once they were in the van, he suggested they pick up something for dinner, despite the fact that she had said she was going to cook. He thought she should be resting, and he didn't want her cooking. He would have done it himself, but he wanted to take care of her, and cooking would interfere with that.

Plus, she said she felt like Chinese, and he wasn't going to argue with that.

After they'd picked up a variety of Chinese food, they went to get Avery, who was delighted to see them, and chatted happily all the way home about how she and Grandma had played and Grandma had painted her nails pink.

As soon as they got home, Artie decided that Quinn needed to rest, telling her and Avery that he thought they should have a dinner picnic in the living room, which thrilled Avery. Quinn considered telling him Chinese wasn't really the best thing for them to eat in the living room, but she didn't say anything, Artie's concern for her evident all over his face, and in his voice.

* * *

><p>After they'd eaten dinner, they watched tv for a little while, Avery eventually falling asleep on the floor with Bailey, and Quinn falling asleep curled up with her head in Artie's lap. When it was time for Avery to go to bed, Artie gently removed himself from under Quinn's head, placing a pillow there, so he could go put their daughter to bed. He quietly transferred to his chair, before waking Avery, and taking her to her room.<p>

Once he'd tucked her in, and read her a story, he said a final goodnight to her, and went back to the living room. He expected that Quinn would have woken up, and was surprised to find her in the exact position she'd been in when he left.

He quietly moved closer to her, noticing that her cheeks were very flushed, and reached out, gently touching her face. It was really warm.

"Quinn?" he asked, softly, taking her hand. "I think we should go to bed," he went on quietly, as she stirred. "Do you feel ok?"

Quinn tried to make herself wake up, but it was hard. She just wanted to sleep. And she felt so cold.

"I'm ok," she murmured, opening her eyes, looking up at him. "Where's Avery? She should go to bed."

"Just finished taking care of that," Artie said, as he watched her slowly sit up. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she said, suddenly feeling a little dizzy, as she went to stand up. Starting to pitch forward, she reached out, her hand making contact with his shoulder as she tried to steady herself.

"No, you're not," Artie said, his voice full of concern, as he reached out, holding onto her. He gently guided her to his lap, and she complied, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Babe…I feel really sick…" she trailed off, as he put his arms around her. "And cold."

"I'm going to get you to bed," Artie said, reluctantly removing his arms from around her. "Maybe that'll help."

As he wheeled them to their bedroom, his mind started racing. Why was she sick? That was the first day of those fertility medications, and they still had two weeks to go. What if they kept making her sick every day? What if she was allergic to them? What if they were doing some sort of damage, when they were supposed to be helping them?

He tried to push those thoughts out of his mind, as he slowly helped her get ready for bed, gently tucking the blankets around her once she was lying down.

"I'm just going to go get you something to drink," he said, putting another blanket over her.

"No, babe, stay," Quinn whispered, so quietly that he almost couldn't hear her. But he did, and it broke his heart a little.

"Ok, I'll stay, and grab you some water from the bathroom," he said, gently squeezing her hand. "I need to grab something else from in there anyway," he added, realizing that they should probably have something on hand in case she started to get sick. Which it looked like she might, he thought.

Once he'd grabbed a bowl and a glass of water for Quinn, as well as the thermometer, and a couple of extra blankets from the closet, he transferred to the bed, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer as her head found its way to his chest.

"Is that better? Do you feel warmer?" he asked, as he gently rubbed her back, bringing his other hand up and gently touching her cheek.

"No," she murmured, trying to get closer to him. "I'm freezing. And I think I'm going to be sick…" she trailed off, trying to sit up.

Ready for that, Artie grabbed the bowl, holding onto it for her, while trying to hold her up, and trying to hold himself up, and realizing he did not have enough hands.

Once it seemed like she'd finally stopped being sick, he put the bowl down on the large nightstand on his side of the bed, holding her close to himself, gently rubbing her back.

"Did that make you feel any better?" he asked softly, as she buried her head in his chest. He was answered by the faintest nod of her head, and a couple of murmured words that he couldn't quite make out.

"What?" he asked, continuing to rub her back. "I couldn't hear that."

"I said I'm sorry," she said quietly, wrapping her arm around him.

"For…?" he asked, as he brought his head up, gently kissing the top of her head.

"Falling asleep and leaving you to deal with getting Avery to bed, and then throwing up," she said, closing her eyes.

"First of all, Avery was a delight to get to bed, yo!" Artie replied, grinning a little as he felt a small grin spread across Quinn's lips. "And second, someone told me that there is no apologizing for being sick, ever," he went on.

"And do you remember what you said to that someone?" Quinn murmured, her small grin widening into a smile.

"Woman! Of course I do!" Artie said. "I said, 'You're the boss, yo!'"

Quinn laughed a little, her hand finding its way up to his face. She grinned as he kissed her fingers.

"Right…that's what you said," she said, looking up at him. "More like, 'But Quinn, I just feel so bad and you shouldn't have to see that, and I am sorry,'" she went on, a playful smirk spreading over her features.

"That's a lie, and I'll prove it in court!" Artie said, feigning shock. "And besides, the rules are different. I'm supposed to take care of you. And you're supposed to…bake me stuff," he said, happy to see her smiling, when it was still so obvious that she still felt sick.

"Maybe I'll bake you stuff tomorrow," she said, yawning. "How does that sound? And I definitely want you to save your taking care of me until I feel better," she added, somewhat playfully. "So I can fully appreciate it."

"You know I can take care of you now and when you feel better," Artie said, smiling. "I think you should go to sleep, and then if you're not feeling better tomorrow, I'll stay home and take care of everything," he said, as she rested her head on his chest again.

"I could go to sleep," Quinn said, yawning again. "Can I stay like this? Do you need to move?"

"Maybe I should go clean out the bowl before we get too comfortable," Artie said. "You know…just in case we need it again," he added.

"Ok," Quinn said, rolling away from him a little. "But can you hurry? I just feel like cuddling," she added, stifling a yawn. "And maybe sleeping."

"I'll be faster than the speed of light," Artie answered, as he moved over into his chair. Grabbing the bowl, he hurried into the bathroom, quickly cleaning the bowl out, before going to the bathroom, and then heading back to the bed.

"I'm falling asleep, but I waited…" Quinn trailed off, as he got back into bed. "For you," she added, nestling herself into his arms. "I love you," she said quietly, mostly into his chest.

"I love you too," Artie whispered, feeling her relax against him. "Go to sleep, and you're going to be better in the morning."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This started out as a "short" chapter, and here we are…over 3500 words yet again! I hope you enjoyed! **

**Also, a brief reminder to everyone that's reading and NOT reviewing…I see you in my stats! Leave a short review, so I can feel all happy and loved! ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

The next couple of weeks flew by in the Abrams household. Quinn found herself more able to tolerate the fertility drugs that were being introduced to her system after a couple of days, much to Artie's relief, and their lives returned to the usual rhythm. Still concerned about how Quinn was feeling, Artie phoned at least twice every day while he was at work to make sure everything was in order, which it always was, she assured him.

Although Artie knew what would come at the end of Quinn's cycle of drugs, the evening before, he found himself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. He wasn't exactly keen on the idea of having someone digging around inside of her with a needle, even though he knew it was necessary.

Despite the fact that he knew the procedure was relatively safe, and had been assured of this both by Quinn and by Dr. Scott numerous times, he couldn't help but think about all the things that could happen. When the doctor had suggested that a general anesthetic would be used, Artie had refused adamantly, before Quinn could even say something. Between Quinn and Dr. Scott, they had managed to convince him that it would be alright, and he'd given in, realizing that really, there was little he could do about the whole thing. And they were right…people had things like that done all the time, and they were fine.

He was so deep in thought, lying there, that he didn't hear Quinn's voice, until she touched his arm, causing him to flinch slightly.

"What?" he said, looking over at her. "Did you say something?"

"I asked if you were planning on sleeping anytime soon," Quinn murmured, snuggling in a little closer beside him. "Or if you're just going to lie there all night worrying about something that's going to be totally fine," she added, pulling the blankets up a little higher, so that they were right up to her chin. "Because it will be. You know that, right?"

"I know it will be," Artie answered, wrapping his arm around her. "And I was planning on sleeping, but I'm still awake…obviously…" he trailed off, grinning a little. "Did you have something in mind?"

"Well, now that I'm awake too, maybe we should…cuddle a little," Quinn suggested, returning his grin. "What do you think?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

* * *

><p>Having taken the day off work, Artie accompanied Quinn to drop Avery off for school in the morning, reminding her that her grandma would pick her up after school and take her to have a sleepover with Linds, something that excited Avery. They hadn't really told her what was going on, just that she was going to be having a sleepover with her Aunty Linds and grandparents, and that seemed to satisfy her, as she hugged them both goodbye and then headed into the school.<p>

Once they'd dropped her off, the two of them headed over to the clinic, arriving about twenty minutes before their appointment.

"Are you sure we should do this? We can still cancel," Artie said, shifting slightly in his seat, looking over at Quinn.

"Artie…" Quinn answered softly, turning to face him. "We can't. We said we were going to do this, and it's totally harmless," she pointed out, nodding. _And we already paid for most of it_, she added in her mind, thinking about the cheque they had written the week before. It had taken most of their savings, and there was no doubt in her mind that, if it didn't work, there wouldn't be a second chance. At least…not for a while. Even if Quinn went back to work, it would be a long time before they would be able to afford to have it done again.

"I wish we were already back home," Artie muttered, studying the velcro on his glove intently, before undoing it and pulling the glove off, to reach over and take her hand. "Or at least...I wish the procedure was done and we were waiting to be able to go back home."

"Artie, the whole thing is going to take less than an hour," Quinn assured him, smiling a little. "Before you know it, I'll be in that little recovery room you made Dr. Scott show us, and you'll be there, and then we'll be going home. We should go in now though…maybe if we're a little early, we'll be done a little early."

Artie nodded, before beginning the process of getting out of the van so that they could head inside and get things taken care of.

* * *

><p>Once Quinn actually managed to coax Artie through the doors of the clinic, it was only a few minutes between the time Quinn gave her name and when she was whisked away to be prepared for the egg-retrieval procedure.<p>

Artie had been to the clinic the week before to do what he needed to do, because he'd been worried that it would take longer than Quinn's procedure, and he'd leave her waiting for him, and he definitely didn't want that. But, in retrospect, he wondered if that might have been better than sitting in the little waiting room they'd shown him to, wondering if everything that he'd thought could go wrong in his mind was actually going wrong.

His concerns were unfounded, though, and after what seemed like hours, Dr. Scott was in the little waiting room, telling him that everything had gone according to plan, and he could see Quinn in a few minutes.

After a few more minutes of waiting like an impatient five year old, a nurse came to tell him that she would take him to Quinn. He followed her down the hall and into the recovery room, where Quinn had just started to stir.

He reached for her hand once he was as close to the bed as he could get, not saying anything, not wanting to wake or startle her. Her hand felt cool to the touch, but he wondered if that was just because his felt like they were on fire, from an hour spent nervously fidgeting with his chair, waiting for someone to tell him that everything had gone the way it was supposed to.

The room was silent for a little while longer, until Artie saw Quinn's eyes flutter open, his own having never left her face for one second.

"Hey," he said, his voice no more than a loud whisper. "Dr. Scott said everything went perfectly. How are you feeling?"

"Like someone drugged me," Quinn murmured, looking around the small room. "I told you…everything's fine," she added, a small smile on her face.

"It better be," Artie said, smiling. "The nurse said you just have to stay here for a little while, and then we can go home and cuddle in bed. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect, babe," Quinn answered, her voice a little louder than before. "But until then, can you sing something to me? I just need to…close my eyes for a few minutes."

Unable to resist the request, Artie nodded, feeling suddenly overrun by both relief and emotion, as he started singing softly. _Let it Be._

* * *

><p>Once the nurse and Dr. Scott were satisfied that Quinn was fit to leave, she and Artie headed out to the van, Artie insisting that she should just sit in his lap, and he would take care of everything. Once she was in the van, he got himself in, helping her still slightly fumbly fingers with the seatbelt, before buckling himself in and heading in the direction of their house.<p>

Once they got there, the process was reversed, and a few short minutes later, Artie was gently tucking Quinn into bed, covering her in a soft blanket, before going to get some water for her, so that it would be easier to convince her to take the painkiller they'd given her. It had been clear on the trip inside that she was uncomfortable, and he hoped she would just take it without comment.

"I think you should just take this, and then I'll get in bed with you and we can watch something or have a nap," he insisted, placing one of the pills in her hand, before holding out the water. "And please don't try to tell me you don't need to take it…I've learned a few lessons from my wife," he added, his grin widening as he looked at her. "I'm practically a professional now."

"A professional what?" Quinn asked, laughing slightly as she took the pill from him, swallowing it with a sip of water, before handing the cup back to him.

"A professional everything…obviously," he countered, setting the water down on her nightstand, before moving around to the other side of their bed and transferring himself onto it, maneuvering himself closer to her, so that he could wrap his arm around her.

"A professional…everything?" Quinn giggled a little, her head moving over and finding its usual spot against him.

"Well…everything except pancakes," Artie answered, laughing slightly as he tucked the blanket around her some more with his free hand.

"You'll learn that too, eventually," Quinn yawned, before looking down at his hand. "Are you trying to tuck me in tightly so I can't escape? I really don't think you need to worry about that…" she trailed off, grinning a little.

"No, I just want you to be warm enough, so you'll go to sleep and feel better when you wake up," he insisted, as Bailey got up onto the bed, curling up at their feet. "Bailey is here to make sure you don't escape, though. And I never want to learn how to make pancakes, or Avery might think I really am perfect, and that's just…dangerous."

Artie's comment caused Quinn to burst out laughing, which seemed to hurt her slightly, and Artie instantly felt bad, until she nestled even closer to his side, throwing her arm around his midsection.

"I think I'm going to be sleeping soon…" she murmured, the medication beginning to take effect. "Do you want me to try and stay awake?"

"No, you should sleep," he answered softly, gently rubbing her back. "And then, when you wake up, I'll make you some food, and we'll just…keep cuddling. Ok?"

Quinn nodded in agreement, her eyes beginning to flutter shut.

"They've probably already put everything together and there are little…things that are a combination of both of us in the lab," Quinn murmured, yawning again. "And soon they're going to be bigger and then they'll be inside me, and I'll be pregnant, and we'll have a baby. Right?" she asked, fighting to keep her eyes open as she looked up at Artie, smiling when he nodded in response to her question. "I told them to leave some eggs in there so there's still a chance we could get pregnant without help one day…they said there were lots and that wouldn't be a problem," she went on, feeling herself becoming rambly. "I want to have…all the babies, with you."

Artie smiled a little at Quinn's comments, hoping it masked the sadness he felt when she mentioned having all the babies without help.

"I want to have all the babies with you too," he said quietly, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "You should sleep now, ok?"

Quinn nodded slightly, and was asleep a few minutes later.

Artie just stayed there, watching her for a little bit, wondering how much of what she had said was the drugs talking. Did she actually think that there was any chance they could have another baby without medical intervention? He supposed it could happen again, because it had happened with Avery, but still…it didn't seem very likely, and Dr. Scott had told them all along that the chances of that happening again were very low.

Hopefully, once the embryos were ready to be implanted, Quinn would become pregnant, he thought, feeling himself starting to doze off, finally able to relax a bit now that Quinn was back home and the procedure had been done. Otherwise…he didn't know what he would do.

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update! I hope my readers are still around! **** The last few months have been really busy for me, hence the total lack of updating, but I hope to be able to add new chapters to this story more often again. Reviews are greatly appreciated! **


	21. Chapter 21

In the days leading up to the introduction of some of the embryos that had resulted from the harvesting of Quinn's eggs into her uterus, Quinn felt herself growing more and more anxious about the whole situation.

Whenever she and Artie talked about it, she assured him that it would work, and she would get pregnant, and they would finally have the opportunity to give Avery the little brother or sister she'd been asking about for over a year. But, when she thought about it, when it was just her…she was so afraid that it wouldn't work. What if it didn't? She knew they couldn't afford to have the procedure done again. Artie would be crushed. Avery would be disappointed that she wasn't going to have the opportunity to be a big sister. And Quinn…well, Quinn was happy with the way their little family was, just the three of them and Bailey, but of course she would also be overjoyed if she actually got pregnant.

The day before they were scheduled to go in and have the procedure done, Sunday, she'd woken up way earlier than usual, groaning internally when she looked at the clock and saw that it was only 5am. She stayed in bed for a little while, watching Artie and Avery sleep, Avery half on top of her father, who was tucked under the little pink blanket she had brought from her room. Quinn wasn't exactly sure what time Avery had come into their bed, but she'd definitely been there for a while, and Artie had definitely been awake when she got there.

After a little bit, Quinn eased herself out of bed, careful not to jostle the mattress too much or bump the two most important people in her life, and headed out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind her, Bailey at her side. She let the dog out, watching him trot around the back yard from the kitchen window, while pulling things out of the fridge to begin making breakfast. She knew Artie would be awake at 6, and that it was likely that he and Avery would be joining her in the kitchen by about 6:15, and she wanted everything to be ready when that happened.

Knowing that bacon and pancakes would probably be the best received breakfast, Quinn started preparing everything at a leisurely pace, cutting up some fruit and making a fruit salad to go along with everything else. She'd just put the first batch of pancakes in the frying pan, when the sound of tiny footsteps could be heard coming down the hall.

"Mommy, Daddy said I should go on a bacon finding trip while he's in the bathroom," Avery said brightly, throwing her arms around Quinn's waist. "The bacon smell woke me up, and Daddy was already awake, and we cuddled for a few minutes, and then his alarm went off, so he had to go, and I came out here!"

"A bacon finding trip?" Quinn asked, laughing slightly, bending down to plant a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "Well, looks like you found some," she added, handing half a slice of bacon to Avery.

"I have to save some of this for Daddy," the little girl said, waving the bacon around in the air. "I promised!"

"You go ahead and eat that one, Princess," Artie said, coming around the corner just in time to hear Avery's bacon proclamation. "I'll get one of my own in a second," he went on, grinning a little as Quinn bent down to kiss him.

After Quinn had straightened back up, Artie reached over to the counter, grabbing a piece of bacon off the plate sitting next to the stove, before stuffing the entire thing into his mouth.

"There's not going to be enough for breakfast if you do that again," Quinn said, looking down at him, trying to keep a serious expression on her face.

"Oh, please, like you haven't already eaten at least two pieces," Artie said, grinning up at her, an innocent look on his face. "You taste like bacon."

The exchange made Avery giggle, as she started putting plates on the table, carefully lining up the cutlery Quinn had put out for her to set out.

Before long, the table was set, and the three of them were seated, eating breakfast and chatting about what they were going to do that day. Avery announced that, after church, she wanted to go take a trip to the petting zoo to check and see if they had any lambs, because she wanted to play with them, and Quinn and Artie told her that they might just be able to do that.

"And we should eat pizza for dinner," Avery added, after a moment, considering her options. "But not the kind that someone brings. We need to make our own pizza, with mushrooms, and pepperoni, and green peppers, and lots of cheese!"

"I think we can arrange that," Artie said, after exchanging a glance with Quinn. "But first, you better go get ready for church. Why don't we go pick out something for you to wear, and then if you need help Mommy or I can help you?"

Quick to agree, Avery flung herself into Artie's lap, and the two of them headed to her room to pick out what she would wear to church.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed in a flurry of excitement, lunch after church, followed by a visit to the petting zoo to play with the two lambs they had there, followed by a trip to the grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients for pizza-making, followed by the actual pizza-making event, followed by the pizza being eaten while watching a Disney movie in the living room, followed by Avery falling asleep, curled up on the couch between her parents.<p>

"I don't think I can get up to get her to bed without waking her up," Artie murmured softly, gently brushing Avery's bangs out of her eyes. "She needs a little trim here, I think," he added, grinning a little at the fact that their daughter's hair had a habit of hanging into her eyes, much like his own.

"I've got it," Quinn said, carefully standing up and gently shifting their daughter so that Artie could get up. "And I'll see what I can do about that trim."

Once Artie was off the couch, the two of them gently moved Avery into his lap, before heading to her room to get her to bed. Quinn was glad that the three of them had decided to change into their pajamas before dinner, making the task of getting their daughter to bed that much easier.

When she was tucked in, Bailey by her side, both of them kissed her goodnight, and then headed to their bedroom.

After he'd finished in the bathroom, Artie went in search of a different shirt, realizing that there was pizza sauce on the one he was wearing, and by the time Quinn was finished getting ready for bed, he'd decided to forgo the shirt altogether in favour of lying in bed shirtless when she came out of the bathroom, the shirt he would put on if he got cold on his nightstand.

"Are you preparing for a sexy party in here?" Quinn asked, grinning a little as she crawled into bed beside him. "Not that you'd need to prepare…much," she added, winking playfully at him, running a hand down his chest, making him shiver slightly.

"Much?!" Artie asked, pretending to be outraged by Quinn's statement. "Woman, I don't need to prepare at all!"

"I know, I know," Quinn said, her grin widening as she placed a kiss on his lips. "I was just teasing. And as much as I love looking at all this hotness…you're going to freeze if you don't put a shirt on soon."

"I was actually planning on having you heat me up to the point where I'll never need a shirt again," Artie said, trying to maintain a look of seriousness. "But since that's not going to be happening…"

Quinn burst out laughing, pulling the blanket a little higher in order to cover Artie's bare chest. "Well, I suppose I could turn the heat up a little and grab an extra blanket," she said, her tone serious. "That's what you meant by heating you up, right?"

The exchange continued for a little while, back and forth, both of them knowing that they couldn't act on their desire for each other, since they were going to be having the procedure done the next morning, but that didn't stop them from talking about things. At the end of the conversation, Artie put on his shirt, and they cuddled together, under the covers.

"Ready for tomorrow?" he asked, looking over at Quinn. "I hope the future Baby Abrams is ready," he added, smiling a little. As much as he had reservations about the whole thing, he had decided to look at things purely from a positive perspective, even though it was hard.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Quinn answered, returning Artie's smile with one of her own. "And I'm sure future Baby Abrams is ready too. What about you? Are you ready?"

"I'm not the one that's going to be having anything done…but if you're asking if I'm ready to cart you home and make you rest so future Baby Abrams can get comfortable in there, then yes, I am," Artie said, his smile widening slightly. "Avery and I already planned what we're going to cook for dinner tomorrow night, but don't bother asking, because it's a surprise."

"I love surprise dinners," Quinn said, giggling a little, before leaning over and kissing him. "I also love lying in bed here with you and cuddling, but we should really sleep…it'll be morning before we know it."

Artie agreed, shifting around a little bit, before pulling her a little closer.

"I love you," he said, the arm that wasn't wrapped around her shoulders finding its usual place draped over her side.

"I love you too," Quinn replied softly, turning her head and kissing the back of his hand. "And don't worry about tomorrow…everything is going to go exactly the way we want it to."

"I know," Artie murmured, feeling his eyelids already starting to droop. He hadn't been aware that he was so tired.

Moments later, he was asleep.

Quinn stayed awake for a little bit, listening as his breathing evened out, glancing over occasionally to make sure he looked restful. When she was satisfied that he was comfortable and getting some decent sleep, she allowed herself to fall asleep, too.

**A/N: Two updates in two days? I'm on fire! I figured I'd better make up for the total lack of Avery in the last chapter. **

**I was going to include the actual procedure in this chapter, before I realized that there should really be a whole chapter dedicated to that. I only wanted to include a little bit of Avery and family time at the beginning, but by the time I was at the part where they made pizza, it was already almost 1000 words. But that just means more chapters for you guys to read!**

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter! And to all of you that read and didn't review...I see you in my stats!**


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning arrived much faster than either Quinn or Artie anticipated, and soon the alarm was blaring, signaling that it was time to wake up. Much like the day that Quinn had had her eggs harvested, the plan was that the two of them would drop Avery off at school, before heading over and having the procedure carried out. After school, Linds was going to pick Avery up and take her shopping, before taking her to have a sleepover.

After a quick breakfast, everyone finished getting ready, making it out the door only a few minutes later than they'd planned. Avery carried most of the conversation on the way to school, as usual, and before long, Quinn and Artie were on their way to have "Future Baby Abrams" put inside Quinn.

On the way to the clinic, neither Quinn nor Artie said much, both lost in their thoughts. Artie thought about everything that he had read about in vitro fertilization, and about how it was definitely going to work, and soon "Future Baby Abrams" would be an actual baby Abrams. Quinn thought about everything she had read too, but found herself pulling her mind away from the negative thoughts she felt creeping into her mind, about it not working, about how disappointed their little family would be if it didn't work out, and about how Artie would react if that happened.

Quinn stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by, and before she knew it Artie was parking in front of the clinic.

"Are you ready?" Artie asked, looking over at her, feeling a sense of déjà vu as he thought about all the other times they'd found themselves in much the same situation over the last few months. Only before, it was for various other things…now there were actual embryos in there, one of which was going to be the future Baby Abrams.

"I was born ready," Quinn answered him, turning in her seat and leaning over to lightly kiss him. "That's the Abrams motto, right?"

Artie chuckled, nodding.

"It is," he agreed, a grin spreading across his face. "Now let's get in there and do this."

* * *

><p>Compared to their last appointment, this one seemed to take almost no time at all, and before long, the two of them were headed back home.<p>

"I think you should lie down on the back seat, to help Future Baby Abrams…get comfortable in there," Artie said, gesturing in the general direction of Quinn's stomach. "Maybe we should have stayed longer so that you could stay lying down to help with that," he added, as he drove along, braking a little when he realized he was going over the speed limit.

"Artie, lying on the back seat of the van isn't going to help…Future Baby Abrams get comfortable in there," Quinn said, reaching out and putting her hand on his arm. "But I really don't think Future Baby Abrams approves of speeding. The five minutes longer it's going to take to get home going a little slower isn't going to make a difference…you know that, right?"

She didn't really like talking about "Future Baby Abrams" in that way, but she knew that talking about it like that was helping Artie cope with the whole situation, and she wasn't about to tell him that maybe they shouldn't be talking like that about embryos that might not even develop into a baby or babies. A small part of her also wondered what would happen if "Future Baby Abrams" actually turned out to be "Future Babies Abrams". She knew that there was a chance of multiple babies if the procedure was successful, but it wasn't something she and Artie had talked about at all. She was sure he knew that was a possibility too, but he hadn't mentioned it.

"Fortunately, Future Baby Abrams doesn't have the ability to understand what speeding is quite yet," Artie said, grinning a little as he turned onto their street. "I just want to get home so that you can lie down and rest."

"Artie, I really don't think that's going to make any difference," Quinn murmured, watching the houses go by as he slowed to turn into their driveway. "But I will, because I know you think it will help," she added quickly, looking over at him, noticing how his hand was suddenly clenched on the steering wheel. "Maybe we can watch a movie and cuddle in bed with Bailey. How does that sound?"

"I think that sounds really good," Artie said, nodding as he unbuckled his seatbelt, grinning over at her. "But first I'm going to make us some lunch that's…not too messy and won't make my wife scold me for eating in our bed," he added, after a moment. "Maybe you can get a head start on warming up the bed."

* * *

><p>By the time Artie had finished making lunch, stuck it on a tray, and carried it to the bedroom, Quinn was lying in their bed under the covers, with Bailey stretched out beside her.<p>

"The bed's kind of big for me to warm up by myself, so I thought I'd let Bailey help," she said, biting back a grin as Artie gestured to Bailey, trying to look stern as the dog rolled around a little before moving down by Quinn's feet.

"If you guys want to have the bed to yourselves, I'll just…lay on Bailey's dog bed on the floor," he said, setting the tray down on the table on his side of the bed. "It looks pretty comfortable. But that means I get all the food."

"I think he can lay here with us Bailey," Quinn said, sitting up a little and petting the dog. "What do you think?"

Her question caused Bailey to wag his tail, letting out a soft woof as he stared at Quinn, as if asking her to pet him some more.

"He says it's ok," Quinn said to Artie, patting the bed beside her. "What did you make for lunch?"

"I couldn't decide, so I made a few things. I have a couple of BLTs, some cheese and crackers, vegetables, fruit, donuts, and a piece of that cheesecake from the other day," Artie said, lining himself up with the bed, before transferring beside her. "Oh, and I cooked too much bacon, so I just brought the rest too."

"Did you invite people for lunch?" Quinn asked, pretending to look around the room. "Or are we sharing with Bailey? I know you told Avery he wasn't allowed to have that much people food anymore, but are you breaking that rule?" she giggled, reaching over and grabbing a piece of bacon off the tray Artie was holding, once he'd settled himself on the bed.

"I wanted to provide options!" Artie chuckled, grabbing a cracker and giving it to Bailey. "I wasn't sure if you'd want bacon, so I wanted to bring other sources of protein."

"Artie…as long as I'm breathing, it's safe to assume that I will want bacon," Quinn giggled, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek, before reaching for half a sandwich. "You take such good care of me."

"Duly noted, and that's my job," Artie returned, grinning a little, before taking the other half of the sandwich Quinn had already started.

* * *

><p>After they finished eating, Quinn and Artie snuggled together under the covers and watched a movie. Near the end, Quinn started getting restless, and the credits had barely started to roll when she shut off the tv, turning to face Artie.<p>

"What should we do now?" she asked, raising her head slightly, planting a kiss on Artie's lips. "We never get time alone during the day on a weekday where we have time to do…things," she added, playfully.

"As much as I would like to do…things, we can't do that right now!" Artie said, grinning a little. "You know that…we can't do that for…a while."

"I know we can't, but maybe we could do some other things," Quinn murmured, reaching over and undoing the buttons on his shirt. "At least let me get this shirt off you…it looks like it's too confining for you to be wearing," she added, reaching down and untucking the shirt from his pants, before undoing the final button. "You should probably lose the pants, too."

Before long, Artie's shirt and pants were gone, as was Quinn's shirt.

"You are so hot," Quinn murmured against his neck in between kisses, her hand resting in the center of his chest. "So, so hot. I don't know if I can stop myself from taking this further."

"So are you," Artie whispered, his arm around her. "But we…can't do that right now. I don't want anything to jeopardize things, and they said two or three weeks, and I don't think we should take any chances. …I just cockblocked myself," he rambled on, his face flushing slightly as the last words exited his lips. "I mean I cockblocked you-both of us-I'm just going to stop," he muttered, as Quinn giggled next to him, shifting around slightly.

"Good thing I think you're extra cute," she said, jokingly, after a moment. "I know you're right. I'm just…really turned on right now. Is that weird? I mean…after what we spent the morning doing…"

She did know that he was right, that they couldn't take things any further. The last thing either of them wanted was to take any chances that could jeopardize what they had been working towards for so long.

"Weird? I don't think so," Artie said, shrugging slightly and thinking. "I mean…we haven't…done that for a while, and I know I'm irresistible to you all the time, so I think it's perfectly normal."

Quinn burst out laughing at his remark, accidentally snorting, which just made her laugh more.

"It wasn't THAT funny," Artie muttered, trying to look serious. "I know I'm only irresistible part of the time…you didn't need to snort!"

"If part of the time is the same as all the time, then that's true," Quinn said softly, wrapping her arm around him and kissing his neck. "Sorry…I know it's not fair of me to start getting all up on you when I know we can't see it through to the end," she added, kissing him again. "I just can't keep my hands off you."

"I love it when you get all up on me, even if it's only…partially," Artie chuckled, leaning his head against hers. "But seriously, now…how are you feeling? Do you feel different at all?"

"I feel the same as I felt this morning," Quinn answered, running her fingers down his chest. "I think I've been lying here long enough though…if I can't have my way with you, we should do something. Don't you think?"

She didn't add that she needed them to get up and do something, or at least for him to put his clothes back on if she was going to stop herself from continuing down the road she'd started them down, knowing that they couldn't actually do anything.

"If by doing something, you mean we should just keep laying here, then yeah, we should do that," Artie said, shifting around slightly, before realizing that he should probably move a little more than that. "I think I should just roll over so I'm facing you, and we can cuddle."

"Babe, if you're going to do that, we're going to have to put our clothes back on…" Quinn trailed off, frowning slightly at her words. "Not that I want you to, because I'm kind of enjoying what I see here," she murmured, running her hand down his chest. "I'm just…really turned on right now."

"I do have that effect on the ladies," Artie replied, pulling the covers up so that they were over his chest. "But I think you're probably right…I mean, my hotness is legendary, so I should really cover it up. It's unfair to you that it's out in the open right now."

They cuddled for a couple more minutes, before Artie shifted himself around a little, trying to reach his clothes, which were in a pile on the floor beside the bed.

"I'll get them," Quinn said, rolling away from him and getting up before Artie could move any further. She grabbed his shirt and pants, handing them to him, before going back around the bed and lying down beside him again.

"I could have reached them," Artie said, as he propped himself up to put his shirt back on. "You shouldn't have left the bed! You're supposed to stay lying down!"

"Artie, it's fine," Quinn said, reaching out to give him a hand with his shirt. "Dr. Scott didn't say anything about me staying in bed for the next few hours…I'm sure it's ok. I know you just want me to rest, but it's no big deal," she added. "Besides, I'm pretty sure getting up and grabbing your clothes was a lot safer than having to get you off the floor if you'd fallen over the side of the bed," she joked, as he started putting on his pants.

"I wouldn't have fallen over the side of the bed, woman! I'm a trained professional," he said, shifting himself around and pulling up his pants. "And I just want you to rest to make sure nothing goes wrong," he added, finishing up with his pants.

"I know, but nothing's going to go wrong," Quinn assured him, pulling her shirt back on. "Artie, we haven't really talked about this, but what if…more than one Future Baby Abrams decides to latch on in there, and we have twins?" she asked, as Bailey started moving up the bed so that someone would pet him. "I mean…they put a few of them in there, so that could happen."

"Then we'd have more than one baby to love, and it would be great," Artie said, grinning a little. He'd read that that was something that could definitely happen, but it wasn't something they'd talked about yet.

"Do you think we could handle more than one baby?" Quinn asked softly, moving closer to him and pulling his arm around her. "I mean…if that were to happen?"

"Of course we could," Artie nodded, resting his head against the top of hers. "Don't you think so? I can multitask like a pro."

"I was thinking more along the lines of…handling it financially," Quinn admitted, looking up at him. Their recent foray into in vitro fertilization territory had drained their savings, and she wasn't even sure how they could afford to have one baby with her working only a couple of days per month, if that, but she hadn't said that to Artie yet. He earned a fairly decent salary, but they also had a lot of expenses, and she wasn't sure what adding a baby to the mix would do to their financial situation. She knew they could always ask her mother, or his parents, for help if necessary, but they'd said from the get go that they would try and avoid that. She knew that Artie felt very strongly about being able to provide for their family without help, and she didn't think bringing up something that would be a major blow to his pride was the best thing to do, even though she knew it may need to happen eventually, whether he liked it or not.

"Of course we can," Artie reassured her, thinking about it. "If we're going to be buying things for one baby, it can't be that much more if we have to do it for two, right?"

"Right," Quinn answered quietly, deciding to drop the subject for the time-being. All she wanted was for them to have a baby, and when they did, they would find a way to make everything work, regardless of the strain it might put on their finances.

"I'm feeling a little sleepy," she added, after a couple of moments of silence. "Maybe we should have a nap."

Artie agreed, and shortly thereafter, Quinn's breathing evened out, and he could tell she had fallen asleep.

He, on the other hand, wasn't even close to being able to sleep, Quinn's words about their ability to afford more than one baby ringing in his ears.

Part of him had had the same thoughts a couple of times recently, especially after they'd paid for the IVF, but he hadn't wanted to bring it up, deciding that things would sort themselves out.

He'd come to terms with the fact that there would always be additional costs associated with the fact that he had a disability for the rest of his life, but moments like these stirred up an assortment of emotions within him. On the one hand, he knew that the expenses associated with him were necessary in order to keep him able to function and to be able to provide for his family, but on the other hand, he wondered if maybe there was some way to cut back those expenses to help pay for other things that they would need.

When Quinn had been pregnant with Avery, the two of them had still been in college, and money had been tight, and they'd made it work…one way or another, they would do it again.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this latest update! **** I feel like I'm back in the swing of things. Let's hope this momentum continues!**


	23. Chapter 23

The Friday after they had the procedure done found Quinn at home with Avery and Ariel, who had the day off from school. Ariel was spending the night, because her parents were out of town unexpectedly. It was her first time sleeping at a house other than her own, so she was a little nervous about it, as Avery had informed Quinn the day before it was going to happen.

Avery had proclaimed that they needed to do "a lot of fun things" so that Ariel wouldn't be nervous anymore, and had presented Quinn and Artie with a verbal list of things they should do, which consisted largely of things such as painting their nails, baking cookies and colouring.

Ariel's parents had dropped her off that morning shortly before lunch, and, while she clung to them when they were leaving, shortly after they were gone she was already in the back yard with Avery, preparing for a lunch picnic.

Quinn watched the two of them decorate the patio table with some flowers they'd picked in the yard through the kitchen window while she finished making some sandwiches. As she arranged the sandwiches on a plate, she thought about the conversation she'd had with Ariel's parents. They had mentioned that she was really nervous, and that she'd never slept at someone else's house without at least one of them before, but Quinn assured them that between herself, Artie, and Avery, there would be no problems, and of course Ariel could call them if necessary.

Her thoughts moved from their conversation to Avery, who had grown up having sleepovers places where her parents were not. Of course, those sleepovers were limited to spending the night with her grandparents, but Quinn was pretty sure that Avery would be able to handle herself if ever there was a time when she needed to sleep somewhere that wasn't at home or with her grandparents.

Standing there, staring out the window at the two little girls, who were throwing a stick for Bailey and waiting for their lunch, Quinn's hand drifted to her midsection, as she thought about the fact that, hopefully, Avery would soon have a little brother or sister who she could accompany on their first grandparents sleepover, and play outside with. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the slamming of the back door.

"Mommy, we're all ready to have lunch now!" Avery yelled, looking around for Quinn. "Oh, sorry! I didn't know if you could hear me!" the little girl added, seeing her mother standing just a few feet away. "Bailey and Ariel are playing with a stick, so I said I would come see if lunch is ready."

Quinn smiled, looking out the window just in time to see Ariel throw the stick for Bailey, who trotted happily after it.

"It is ready," she answered, reaching under the counter for a tray. "Are you guys having fun?"

"Yes! We played with Bailey, and picked flowers, and now we're ready for lunch!" Avery rattled off, helping to put some things on the tray that Quinn had put on the counter. "After lunch can we paint our nails, and watch a movie? Or bake cookies? And can we make pizza tonight?"

Quinn chuckled at her daughter's questions, picking up the tray to carry it outside.

"Why don't we have lunch, then bake cookies, then paint nails, and then go shopping for things to make pizza?" she suggested, as Avery opened the door, holding it so that Quinn could carry their lunch out. "And then we can come home and make pizza before I go to my meeting. How does that sound?"

Avery thought for a moment, waving at Ariel to indicate that lunch was ready.

"That's ok if we do that," she agreed, finally, as Bailey and Ariel began making their way up the ramp to the porch. "When you're at your meeting, do you think Daddy will let us watch a movie?" she asked, sitting down at the table.

"I think that he would like that," Quinn answered, knowing that Artie would probably be tired by the time he got home, a result of the fact that things at work were busier than normal lately and the fact that he had a physical therapy appointment after work. She had suggested to him that she could skip her meeting so that she would be home to assist with the girls and their sleepover, but Artie insisted that they would be fine, and that he could handle anything that might come up.

She knew that he would have said that even if he didn't think he could handle anything that would come up, because the meeting she was to be attending was with the support group she had been going to off and on for the last few months, but she also knew that he would be able to take care of any situation that might arise, regardless of how tired he was.

"We have to eat lunch now, before it gets cold," Avery insisted, shoving a plate closer to Ariel, who giggled as she looked at the sandwich and vegetables on the plate, commenting that they were already cold.

* * *

><p>After lunch, they headed inside to bake cookies. Quinn suggested that they mix them at the table, knowing that Ariel might feel unsteady on the step stool that they had in the kitchen for Avery to use, and before long, the cookies were in the oven.<p>

"And now it's time to paint our nails!" Avery said to Ariel, excitedly. "You sit down at the table, and I'm going to go get everything we need," she added, tearing a couple of paper towels off the roll attached to the low kitchen cabinet, placing one on the table in front of Ariel, before sitting down and lacing the other one in front of herself.

"My mom says we have to put these on the table so we don't get nail polish on it," she whispered to Ariel, as Quinn went to get the small basket they used to store nail polish. "We have lots of different pink ones we can use! And purple ones! And sparkly ones!"

"We only have clear ones at my house," Ariel said straightening out the paper towel in front of her. "But my mom said that we can get some new ones because I told her that you have pretty pink ones," she added, nodding as Quinn came back into the room.

"Ariel can go first…I can wait," Avery insisted, looking at all the different nail polishes in the basket. "Ariel, you can pick one, or you can pick more than one! My mom knows how to make them all fancy with all different ones," she explained, nudging the basket closer to Ariel.

"I like this one," Ariel said, pointing to a light pink polish, after regarding the basket for a moment. "But I like this sparkly one too," she went on, pointing to one that contained tiny, silver sparkles.

At first, Quinn instructed her to lay her hands flat on the paper towel, but soon realized that, due to the spasticity in Ariel's hands, that wasn't the best way to go. The little girl started apologizing almost immediately, but the words hadn't even completely exited her mouth when Quinn had already solved the "problem", gently holding Ariel's hand in her own as she painted her nails.

Before long, there was a rack of cookies cooling on the counter, and both girls were sporting pink and sparkly nails. It was a little later than Quinn had planned on them going to the store, but, glancing at the clock, she decided there was still enough time for them to go to the store, return home, make dinner and eat before she had to leave.

It took a few minutes to get the girls through the washroom and ready to leave, but soon they were in the car, ready to go.

They went to the store, picking out an assortment of pizza toppings and ingredients, and after a little while they were on their way home. Quinn glanced at the time, wondering if they would beat Artie home. She hoped that would be the case.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Artie finished up at physio, sitting in the van for a few minutes, trying to decide if it was safe to drive home. He felt like just passing out and having a nap right there, but knew that that probably wasn't the best option. He sat, resting his head on the steering wheel for a little bit longer, before deciding that he just needed to go.<p>

It wasn't a particularly long drive, but nevertheless, Artie was relieved to be home. Getting out of the van seemed to take an unusual amount of energy, but he just chalked that up to being exhausted. He barely had the door open, when Avery came flying out of nowhere into his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck before he could even react.

"Daddy, you're home! Ariel is here, and we had a picnic, and painted our nails, and baked cookies, and now we're making pizza and Ariel and Mommy are doing that, but I came to say hi! Look at my nails! Did you miss me? Your hair is all messed up," Avery rambled on, trying to flatten down the back of Artie's hair, a task which was proving unsuccessful. "Daddy, were you sleeping somewhere? Your hair looks like you were in bed."

"Hey, Princess," Artie said, grinning as he kissed Avery on the cheek. "It sounds like you guys had fun today!" he added, lowering his hands to his rims to transport them to the kitchen. "I wasn't sleeping, but I was lying down a little while ago, so that must have messed up my hair."

"Were you having a nap? You can't have one now, because of dinner, but Mommy said after we could watch a movie with you and me and Ariel while she goes to her meeting, and if you want to have one then, me and Ariel can just watch the movie while you sleep," Avery insisted, as they entered the kitchen.

Artie chuckled at Avery's statement, saying hi to Ariel and Quinn, who were just putting the finishing touches on a pizza, before putting it in the oven.

"Daddy, I'm sorry, but we had to put green peppers on one of the pizzas because they are Ariel's favourite, but we made another one that doesn't have any on it because that's your favourite," Ariel explained, climbing down from his lap and going over to Ariel, linking their arms together. "We are going to go to my room so I can show Ariel where we're having the sleepover, but we will come back before the pizza is ready!" the little girl went on, leading Ariel from the kitchen without further comment.

"It sounds like you guys had a fun day," Artie said, as Quinn leaned down to kiss him hello. "I believe Avery mentioned something about cookies?" he added, looking up at her, innocently, after kissing her back.

"Well, I told Avery and Ariel no cookies before dinner, so I think that applies to you too," Quinn teased, grinning at him as she looked into the oven. "Wouldn't want to spoil your appetite, especially since we made your favourite…no green peppers," she added, as Artie headed to the fridge to get a drink.

"I don't think my appetite will be spoiled by a cookie…I have experience in these matters," Artie chuckled, stifling a yawn. "Maybe a cookie will help me stay awake long enough to eat dinner and hang out with the girls while you're at your meeting."

"Awww, babe," Quinn said softly, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "If you're that tired, I can just stay here, and you can rest and not have to worry about keeping an eye on them."

"Are you kidding me? We've got plans," Artie said, his words cut in half by a yawn. "We're going to watch a movie, and eat cookies and stuff," he added, nodding for emphasis. "It may not sound like much of a plan, but I will deliver, and not fall asleep, and you will go to your meeting and then come home and we'll get them to bed. Right?"

"Right," Quinn murmured, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Why don't you go lie on the couch for a little bit until dinner?" she suggested, nodding in the direction of the living room. "I want to get these dishes in the dishwasher before dinner."

Artie opened his mouth to protest, but ended up yawning instead, causing him to agree with her. Somewhat reluctantly, he headed to the living room, falling asleep before he was even properly situated on the couch.

* * *

><p>"Daddy…Daddy, dinner is ready."<p>

Avery's soft whispers jarred Artie from his sleep, and when he opened his eyes, he was met with Avery's face, inches from his own.

"Daddy, it's time to wake up now," his daughter whispered, leaning a little closer. "Ariel and Mommy are finishing setting the table, and I said I would come wake you up so you can eat too. You were sleeping, so Ariel and I put a blanket on you," she went on, gesturing to the pink blanket that covered part of him.

"Thanks, Princess," Artie murmured, stretching slightly. "I think I'd better get up so we can go eat, don't you think?" he asked, propping himself up on one arm.

After a moment, he was back in his chair, and he and Avery headed to the kitchen, where Ariel had just finished carefully lining up silverware on the table.

"We can eat now! Daddy is here," Avery announced, before gesturing to Ariel that she should sit down beside her.

The four of them ate, chatting about what the girls had done that day, and about what Artie had done at work, and soon they were cleaning up, which Artie assured Quinn he and the girls would take care of so that she wouldn't be late.

Reluctantly, Quinn grabbed her purse, said she would be back soon, and then left, leaving the three of them to tidy up the kitchen. Between them, it took only a couple of minutes to load the rest of the plates into the dishwasher, and then they headed into the living room to watch a movie.

"Daddy, Ariel and I decided we should watch Sleeping Beauty," Avery said, finding the DVD and handing it to him to put on. He smiled, putting it in the DVD player. By the time he'd accomplished that task, Avery and Ariel were sitting in the large recliner in the corner of the living room together under a blanket, ready to start the movie.

After pressing the play button, Artie moved himself onto the couch, where he was soon joined by Bailey. Despite his best efforts to stay awake, he felt himself starting to drift off, waking only when he heard Avery and Ariel having some sort of conversation in the recliner that consisted of Ariel saying no, and Avery insisting that it would be ok.

"What's up over there?" he asked, sitting up and looking over at them. "Everything ok?"

"Daddy, Ariel says no, but can you help so she can take off her leg things and be more comfy? We can't get them open!" Avery announced, before Ariel could say anything, her eyes falling to her lap, cheeks flushing.

"It's ok, I am comfy," Ariel murmured, intently studying her hands, the small action making Artie frown.

"I can come give you a hand," Artie said, smiling at her when she raised her eyes to meet his. "It's no problem."

Once he was up, Artie moved over to the recliner, reaching out and gently giving Ariel a hand to remove the braces from her legs, placing them on the floor next to the chair. While he was helping her, he could feel that her leg muscles were fairly tight, but he wasn't sure if that was the norm for her, or if it was something to be concerned about. He didn't want to risk embarrassing her in front of Avery, and decided to ask her when there was a moment where Avery was out of earshot.

"Just let me know if you want to get up, and I'll come help you get them back on, ok?" he asked, his smile widening when Ariel nodded shyly, a small smile forming on her face too.

"Yay, Daddy!" Avery exclaimed loudly, clapping her hands together. "Can we have milk and cookies now? That way you can get them and you don't have to get up again and you can still have a nap!" she insisted, as if no truer words had ever been spoken. "Do you want me to come help you?"

"I think I've got it under control," Artie said, chuckling slightly. "I'll be right back."

Once in the kitchen, Artie grabbed the container of cookies from the counter, before heading over to the fridge to get the milk, filling a couple of the cups with lids they kept around as a compromise between Quinn and Artie on whether or not food and drinks were allowed to leave the kitchen in the hands of their daughter.

He went back to the living room, the milk and cookies on a tray in his lap. He'd barely crossed the threshold into the room, when Avery jumped up, announcing that she had to go to the bathroom, but hadn't wanted to leave Ariel by herself.

"How's it going over here?" Artie asked Ariel as he handed her a cup of milk and offered her a cookie, once Avery had run out of the room.

"It's good," Ariel mumbled, still clearly embarrassed at having Artie help her. "I'm having fun…I never went to a sleep over before," she added, her voice soft.

"I'm glad you're having fun," Artie said, grinning at her as he took a cookie, breaking off a piece and putting it in his mouth, observing how Ariel was holding onto her milk and cookie, as if she was worried she might drop them. "Are you feeling ok? Tired?"

"No, I'm ok," Ariel insisted, putting the cookie down on the napkin Artie had placed in her lap.

"Oh, good," Artie replied, shifting a little in his chair, hearing some telltale splashes coming from the bathroom indicating that Avery had, once again, become distracted playing with the water in the sink. "Are your legs feeling ok?"

"Yes, they're ok," Ariel answered, reaching over to pet Bailey, who had come to beg for a piece of cookie.

"Are they usually stiff like that?" Artie asked, not wanting to make her feel embarrassed, but wondering if it was something he should be concerned about.

"Oh, they're always like that," Ariel murmured, a little louder than she'd been speaking previously.

They talked about that for a couple more minutes, until Avery came back, after which they finished watching the movie, eating most of the cookies until Avery announced that they had to stop so there would be some left when Quinn came home.

* * *

><p>By the time Quinn arrived, Artie was nearly passed out on the couch, and both girls were half asleep in the recliner.<p>

She tiptoed into the living room, reaching for her camera and taking a couple of pictures before her presence became known, and after a few minutes she and Artie decided to help the girls get ready for bed.

Getting the braces back onto Ariel's legs proved a more difficult feat than getting them off, and much to Ariel's embarrassment, Quinn and Artie decided that it would be easier for Artie to carry her down the hall on his lap, where Quinn would help her get ready for bed while Artie took care of Avery.

While Artie helped Avery finish getting her room ready for "sleeping over", Quinn accompanied Ariel into the bathroom to help her get ready, and before long both girls were tucked in, yawning sleepily. Artie read them a story, and both were asleep before he finished.

* * *

><p>"How was your meeting?" he asked Quinn, a short time later, as they cuddled together on the couch.<p>

"Oh, it was good," she said, leaning against him, pulling his arm tighter around him. "Everyone was giving me all these tips, and stuff, and I just smiled and said thank you, but it was a bit…much. I mean, we just had it done…" she trailed off, nuzzling against his neck. "I didn't want to think about it as much as they were talking about it. What about you guys? How'd it go?"

"It went pretty well," Artie said, his lead leaning against her. "We watched a movie and ate cookies…which is probably exactly what you were expecting," he added, grinning a little. "I think the girls wore themselves out today…they were pretty subdued."

"I could tell," Quinn said, laughing slightly. "Ariel was half asleep while I was helping her get ready for bed, to the point where she forgot halfway through getting changed that she was embarrassed that I was helping her," she added. "Or maybe she's just more comfortable now."

"She told me earlier that she has to have surgery on her legs soon when I asked her about the tightness she had in them when I helped her take off her braces, but she said not to tell Avery because surgery is scary," Artie said, frowning as he thought about it. "She didn't really know what it was for, but I assume muscle-lengthening," he added, nodding slightly.

"That's horrible," Quinn murmured, the frown on her face matching his own. "But it sounds like her parents have talked to her about it, which is good, right?" she asked, looking up at him, her frown lessening slightly when he nodded.

They talked for a few more minutes, before deciding to call it an early night, since they figured the girls would be up at the crack of dawn.

As Quinn crawled into bed next to Artie, she thought about what had actually happened at her support group, how everyone had felt the need to share how their first attempts at IVF hadn't worked, how some of the ones that had had the procedure done had had it done three or four times without success…things Quinn didn't want to think about. She curled up in her usual position by Artie's side, kissing him and whispering that she loved him, before they settled down to sleep.

**A/N: This chapter grew significantly larger than intended…it was meant to be a simple interlude between having the procedure done and what comes next, but it just kind of took on a life of its own and grew to the monstrosity you just finished reading.**

**This chapter was written with some support from GLEEful Heart, as usual! **


	24. Chapter 24

The morning had started off the same as always, with Artie leaving for work the same time as Quinn and Avery leaving for school. Quinn had been feeling a little off since waking up, and had been having some mild cramping, but she'd just chalked that up to how busy the last few days had been.

About an hour after she got home from taking Avery to school, Quinn realized what her body had been trying to tell her. She sat in the bathroom, hugging herself, willing herself not to cry, knowing that she would need to go pick up Avery soon, and her daughter could not see that she had been crying, or she would ask, and Quinn would have to come up with an explanation.

Shakily, she stood from her seat on the chair next to the sink, washing her face and trying to make herself look like nothing was wrong. What was she going to say to Artie?

* * *

><p>That evening, Quinn kept looking for the perfect time to tell Artie, who had decided that he needed to call it an early night due to the fact that he was exhausted. While he got ready for bed, Quinn sat on the edge of their bed, rehearsing what she would say to him. He came out of the bathroom, and she stood up, going in herself, deciding she wasn't quite ready yet.<p>

By the time she was ready to come back, Artie had taken some medication, and was busy getting himself situated in bed.

"I really think you should go for a blood test tomorrow, so we know if Future Baby Abrams is getting comfortable in there," Artie said, as Quinn came back into the room. "Don't you think?"

His words stopped her in her tracks, and she just stared at him for a moment.

"I don't think we need to do that," Quinn said quietly, going and climbing onto the bed beside him. "Not right now, anyway."

"Wait…are you pregnant?" Artie asked, looking at her. "Did you take a pregnancy test?"

"No…" she trailed off, looking away briefly, feeling tears pooling in her eyes. He couldn't see that.

"Do we have one? We should go get one right now," he insisted, propping himself up a little. "We can probably find a pharmacy that's open late."

"Artie, we don't need one," Quinn whispered, a tear running down her cheek as she lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Wait…what?" Artie asked, staring at her, his stomach feeling like it was dropping into his feet. "What do you mean?"

"It didn't work…I got my…well, I found out this morning that it didn't work," she said, her voice a little louder as she watched him, wondering what was going through his mind.

"But…" he trailed off, looking at her, feeling like he was either going to throw up or possibly burst into tears.

"I'm sorry," Quinn mumbled, after a few moments of silence, reaching out and placing her hand on his arm. "Artie, say something…"

"I need some air," Artie muttered, her words snapping him out of his daze. He propped himself up, getting into his chair as quickly as possible, before grabbing his coat from the back of the door.

"Artie, I need you here…" Quinn trailed off, after his retreating form, but it was too late…he was leaving.

* * *

><p>The phone rang about six times before Quinn clued in on what was happening. Looking at the call display, she answered.<p>

"Rachel?"

"No, it's Puck," a somewhat gruff voice could be heard over the phone.

"Oh," Quinn said, wondering why Puck was calling, assuming he was probably looking for Artie.

"You missing a husband?" Puck asked, as something rattled in the background.

"Is he there?" Quinn asked, her voice tight. "Can you just keep him there tonight? I think that's probably better."

After Artie had left, Quinn had stayed in their bed, crying for a little while, before her sadness was replaced with rage at the fact that he had left her, again.

"Yeah, he can crash on the couch, but just so you know, he's fucking wasted," Puck explained, lowering his voice so Artie wouldn't hear. "I don't know how that happened, because he only had like two beers."

"Wait-he's…drunk?" Quinn sputtered, wondering if the situation could get any more ridiculous. "Are you serious?" She had never known Artie to drink…ever.

"Yeah, he seemed mad about something when he got here and then he just started drinking…I thought it was a little weird, but I'm not his mom, so I didn't tell him to stop," Puck said. "We're in the garage…you still want me to keep him here, or should I bring him home? What happened?"

"We had an…argument," Quinn muttered, not really wanting to go into detail to Puck, especially since she wasn't sure what, if anything, Artie had shared. "No, it's ok…I'll come get him," she went on, her voice a little louder. "I just have to make arrangements for Avery."

"She can come here and sleep over," Puck suggested.

"No, I'd rather not have her…seeing this or knowing about it at all. I can drop her off with Artie's parents, and then she won't need to know what's going on," Quinn said, after thinking a moment. "Just let me take care of that, and then I'll be over. And Puck…don't let him drink anything else."

Puck agreed, and after a moment they were off the phone. Quinn changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt, and called the senior Abrams' house, breathing a sigh of relief when Beth answered. Without giving too much information, she asked if she could drop Avery off, stating that something had come up, and that she was sorry for calling so late, and Beth had agreed, wanting more information, but not wanting to ask.

Once she was off the phone, Quinn quietly went into her daughter's bedroom, quietly waking her up and getting her ready to go.

* * *

><p>The scene that awaited Quinn in Puck and Rachel's garage (or, the "mancave" as Puck called it) was not entirely what she was expecting. She actually didn't know what to expect, but from the look of things Artie had had much more than just a couple of beers, and he didn't seem to be handling them well.<p>

"Heyyyy," he drawled, when Quinn walked in, his eyes unable to focus on her.

"Puck, is he high?" Quinn hissed at Puck, standing next to her, after she'd taken a look at him. "Did you give him drugs?!"

"Whoa" Puck answered, throwing up his hands. "First of all, I don't do that shit anymore, and second, I didn't give him anything except the beer, so if he took something they were his own drugs."

"He doesn't do drugs!" Quinn muttered, thinking about what could be going on, before the vague sound of a pill bottle rattled through her ears as she thought about their argument earlier in the evening. "Oh my God, Puck, he probably took medication when I didn't see, and he's not supposed to drink with those," she whispered, the anger she was feeling fading slightly, as concern bubbled up inside of her. "Which I never thought would be an issue, because he doesn't drink!" she added, moving forward, closer to Artie.

"You're heeeeeeeeeere," Artie murmured, looking up at his wife, standing over him. "Lookin' all hot!"

"And you're here looking all drunk," Quinn said, her voice a little louder than intended. As concerned as she was, she was still mad about how he had handled the whole thing, and wasn't about to let him off. "It's time to go home. I dropped Avery off with your parents."

"Noooo, she can't see me like this," Artie insisted, fighting to keep his eyes open. "You should have dropped her off with my parents," he went on, words slurring slightly. "I think I'm drunk and-"

"She won't…I already dropped her off," Quinn cut in, moving closer to him. "We're going home now."

Artie attempted to protest, but Puck stepped in, and before long, they had Artie in the van, a bucket in his lap that Puck had grabbed from the garage "just in case".

"You want me to drive your car back so I can help you get him inside?" he asked, glancing into the van, noticing that Artie appeared to be seconds from passing out.

"No, it's ok…I can handle it," Quinn said, attempting to smile a little at Puck. "But thanks."

After saying goodnight, and apologizing to Puck for Artie's actions, which Quinn felt she had to do, she and Artie headed back home.

Artie occasionally tried to start a conversation, but Quinn cut him off, and after a few minutes he stopped trying, seemingly having fallen asleep, which concerned Quinn, because she wasn't exactly sure what he had taken.

Once they'd arrived at home, Quinn wondered briefly if she should have taken Puck up on his offer, but after about half an hour, she managed to get her mostly-unconscious husband in the house and into bed. She rolled him onto his side, in case he started being sick, and after checking to make sure he was breathing properly, she got changed and got into bed beside him.

"How did we get into bed?" Artie murmured into his pillow, opening his eyes slightly and looking at Quinn, who was nothing more than a blurry outline without his glasses.

"I hauled you in here and got you into bed," Quinn answered, her tone clipped. "Just go to sleep."

"Mm'sorry," Artie muttered, trying to shift around a little bit, suddenly feeling very lightheaded.

"I have to say, of all the calls I thought I'd get about you, I never thought your being drunk was anywhere on that list," Quinn answered, choosing to ignore his apology. "I can't believe this, Artie. Just go to sleep, and we'll talk about it tomorrow when you're not drunk."

She wanted to ask if he had taken something, and if so, what that was, but found herself unable to get the words to leave her mouth.

"Can you come closer?" Artie asked, squinting at her, trying to focus. "I said…sorry."

"No, I can't come closer, Artie," Quinn snapped, looking over at him, wondering if she would be regretting how she was treating him later. "And I'm not saying it's ok, because it's not. Just sleep."

"I feel like someone punched me in the stomach," Artie murmured, rolling slightly, propping himself up with his arm.

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to get drunk…" Quinn trailed off, turning on the light on her bedside table to get a better look at him, unable to pretend she wasn't concerned any longer. "Did you take something before you…left?"

"Don't remember," he said, thinking about it. "I don't know…maybe. I think yes. I'm going to be sick."

Having anticipated that Artie being sick was in their near future, Quinn grabbed the bowl she'd set beside him on the bed, holding it in front of him and reaching out to support him. After he was finished, she got up, cleaning out the bowl without comment, before returning to the bed.

"I think yes too," she said, her voice soft. "Do you want to go to the hospital, just in case?" The conversation they still needed to have could happen when the effects of the alcohol and whatever he'd taken had left his system.

"No," Artie insisted, rubbing his eyes. "It's fine. I am sorry," he added, squinting at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, studying him, noting how pale he looked. "And you're always sorry, but then you always leave, so maybe you're not. When a person is sorry for something, they don't keep doing it."

Artie ignored Quinn's first question, rubbing his eyes again.

"I'm sorry, I just panicked and…" Artie's voice trailed off, as he seemed to fall asleep mid-conversation.

Quinn frowned, studying him.

"Artie?" she whispered, gently touching his shoulder. "Artie?"

The only response she got was a soft snore. At least he was still breathing, she thought to herself.

Quinn watched him for a few minutes, before turning off the light. She tried to fall asleep, but found herself still awake two hours later, staring at the ceiling, listening for the telltale sounds that Artie was breathing normally.

Two hours after that, Quinn got up, going to get a drink. She wondered if her movements would wake him, but of course they didn't. When she got back, the small alarm he used to wake him up to shift was blaring next to his head, but Artie seemed oblivious to it.

Sighing, Quinn tried to wake him, before deciding that was pointless, and helping him shift. Once she was satisfied that he was positioned properly, she got back into bed, to resume what was becoming a night of sleeplessness and clock-watching.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Quinn got up around 5am, deciding that she'd been lying there long enough. Artie was still totally passed out, and she contemplated trying to wake him up so that he could take care of his usual morning routine, which he'd already skipped the night before, but decided against it when he didn't show any signs of waking up when she got off the bed.<p>

In the kitchen, Quinn made a full pot of coffee, pouring herself a cup before the coffee maker had even finished.

She drank a couple of cups, sitting at the kitchen table, staring off into space until around 7:30, before she heard noise coming from down the hall.

She headed to their bedroom, pushing open the door just in time to see Artie attempting to sit himself up. Judging from the slowness with which he was moving, he had yet to notice that his chair was out of his reach, parked a few feet from the bed where Quinn had left it the night before.

"You're awake," Quinn pointed out, stepping into the room, discreetly studying his face, trying to figure out how he was feeling. "It's about time."

"Hi," Artie murmured, bracing himself on the edge of the bed, his head spinning. "Quinn…I'm sorry."

"I don't want to talk about this right now," Quinn answered, going over to the closet and pulling out some clothes. "I'm going to go to yoga. You should probably just take something for your hangover and go back to bed."

"What? No, don't leave," Artie said quietly, watching her. "We need to talk about this," he added, reaching for his chair, which she'd just pushed closer to him. After checking the brakes, he shifted himself into it, frowning slightly at the amount of effort it seemed to take.

"We can talk about it after my yoga class," Quinn said, pulling on her shirt. "You may want to call your parents and see what Avery's up to," she added, before walking out of the bedroom.

Once she was outside, Quinn sat in the van, staring at the steering wheel for a couple of minutes, before bursting into tears. She needed her husband to be there for her, and it was clear that wasn't something he was able to provide in the current situation. She was upset too, because the procedure hadn't worked and they couldn't afford to have it done again, and she needed him to acknowledge that, instead of making everything about him. She knew that wasn't actually what he was doing, but that was what it felt like, and she was not happy about it.

Finally, she threw the van into reverse, backing out of the driveway and heading in the direction of the yoga studio. She briefly thought about how she was leaving Artie without a vehicle, before deciding that he would be fine at home until she got back, and they could get her car later.

* * *

><p>Artie stared at the doorway for a few minutes after Quinn left, before going into the bathroom, realizing very quickly that he must have skipped a few things the night before. After he was finished, he contemplated having a shower, before deciding to just go back to bed. He'd barely settled himself under the blanket, when the doorbell rang, followed a moment later by the door opening, and his father's voice calling out a greeting in the hallway. Great.<p>

"Anyone home?" Mr. Abrams called out, closing the door behind him. He wouldn't normally just walk into their house, but when he'd tried the door it had been unlocked, so someone must be home, he reasoned, unless his wife was right and something was seriously wrong the night before, which was the reason for Avery being dropped off at their house.

"Yeah, in the bedroom," Artie answered, wishing the bed would just swallow him so he wouldn't have to deal with the situation, much less talk about it with his father.

A few seconds later, Mr. Abrams' smiling face came into view in the doorway.

"Are you sick?" he asked, approaching his son, standing next to the bed. "Where's Quinn?"

"She…went out," Artie said, hoping he could skirt around the issue without providing too many details. "Yoga class."

"Where's the van?" Steve asked, frowning slightly as he regarded his son. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"Quinn has the van…her car is…in the shop," Artie mumbled, wondering where Quinn's car actually was. "Nope, not sick."

"I just came to get some clothes for Avery," Steve explained, not wanting to divulge the fact that he'd been sent by his wife to check and make sure everything was ok, although he suspected Artie knew that. "Is everything ok?"

"Oh, yeah…fine," Artie muttered, shifting slightly. "I'll get up and find some clothes for Avery. Do you want some coffee?"

"Um…sure," Steve said, nodding. "I'll go make some while you find the clothes," he added, moving out of the way so Artie could get out of bed. He stayed standing there, just in case something happened, since Artie really didn't look like he was feeling well, but fortunately no intervention was necessary. He briefly thought that his son looked hung over, before realizing that was probably the least likely explanation.

"I'll get the clothes," Artie said, once he was situated in his chair.

He headed into Avery's room, opening her drawers and selecting a skirt and shirt he knew to be among her favourites, before grabbing everything else she would need, and placing it in a bag.

"Here," he said, wheeling into the kitchen and depositing the bag on the table, as his father handed him a cup of coffee. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Steve said, sitting down at the table. "Now, what's up? Avery didn't get dropped off at our house that late for no reason."

"We were just having a…fight, and I did something stupid," Artie admitted, realizing the truth would get out eventually. There was no point in hiding it or lying. "I ended up at Puck's…and drunk."

"Drunk?" Steve asked, staring at him, waiting for his son to continue.

"Um…yeah, it was…not the best choice, and I realize that. Quinn just…told me something I didn't want to hear, and I reacted like an idiot and left," Artie explained, staring down at the coffee cup in his hands. "And now she's really, really angry, and or good reason, because I was supposed to be here to support her, and I chose to leave instead."

"What did she tell you?" Steve asked, his tone soft as he reached out to place a comforting hand on Artie's arm.

"She told me-Dad, we tried IVF, and it didn't work out, and we can't do it again," Artie blurted out, before he was able to stop himself. "Everything we've tried has failed, and I just want her to be pregnant…" he trailed off, staring at his cup. "But I can't even do that."

Steve wondered if their argument had something to do with their ongoing efforts, but hadn't wanted to assume that was the case.

"Of course you can do it again," he assured his son, smiling a little. "You're both young, and you have lots of time."

"No, Dad…we can't afford to do it again," Artie admitted, feeling his face flushing slightly. "And I don't know if we can handle having it not work again anyway. Maybe it's just…maybe we're just meant to only have Avery. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be."

"What?" Steve asked, frowning. "You've never given up on anything before…ever. Don't let this be the thing you give up on."

"I know, but it's just really…hard," Artie said, feeling a lump rising in his throat. "But it doesn't matter, because we can't do it again anyway."

Steve had been about to offer that he was sure they could work something out, when they heard the front door open.

"I'm back," Quinn's voice rang out. Artie heard her footsteps in the hall, before she realized he wasn't in the bedroom, then turned around and headed to the kitchen. Despite the fact that the car had been in the driveway, she was a little shocked to see Steve there, expecting that it would have been Beth.

"Hi, Dad," she said, doing her best to put on a big smile as she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Hi Quinn," Steve said, reaching up and giving her a hug with one arm. "I just came to get some clothes for Avery, and we decided to have a cup of coffee," he added, smiling at her. "But I should probably get going…when I left, Avery was already awake and in the kitchen helping make breakfast."

"We'll come pick her up around lunchtime," Artie said, shifting in his chair, his eyes avoiding Quinn's.

"No rush…we can keep her again tonight if you need us to," Steve said, rising from the table. He gave Quinn a proper hug, before leaning down to give the same to Artie. "Let me know if you need anything," he whispered into Artie's ear, before straightening up.

After they'd said goodbye, Steve grabbed the bag of clothes from the table and headed out.

"I'm glad you came back," Artie said, once they were alone.

"Of course I came back. I live here," Quinn muttered, pouring herself some coffee. "I'm going to go have a shower now," she added, taking a sip from the cup, before turning to walk out of the kitchen. "I'll talk to you later."

* * *

><p>The rest of the morning consisted of very little conversation. While Quinn was in the shower, Artie sent his dad a text asking if they could please keep Avery again, which both is parents agreed to, of course.<p>

Once Quinn had exited their room, Artie went to have a shower himself, and by the time he was finished, Quinn was napping on the couch in the living room. Not wanting to disturb her, Artie headed to the back yard to take care of some yard work he'd been putting off for a few weeks.

For the remainder of the day, the two of them barely spoke. In fact, they were rarely in the same room at the same time, except for during dinner, which Artie had made. After dinner, he cleaned up the kitchen, while Quinn went to do…he wasn't exactly sure, in another room.

As the evening drew to a close, Artie headed into their bedroom, getting changed, before grabbing his pillow from the bed, tossing a couple of bottles of pills from his nightstand into his lap, and turning to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Quinn asked, standing in the doorway to their bathroom.

"I'm going to sleep in the guest room. Goodnight, Quinn. I love you," he said softly, before turning and leaving the room, before she could say anything.

**A/N: Just to be clear, I am definitely not a proponent of drinking while taking medication…or drinking at all.**

**Please don't hate me for this over generous portion of angst, but don't worry, it will be resolved! **

**Also, I see all of you in my stats, and yet you never leave me reviews. This makes me sad!**


	25. Chapter 25

As soon as he left the bedroom, Artie felt the semi-cool façade he'd been putting on in the bedroom starting to crumble. His shoulders slumped as he wheeled down the hall to the guest bedroom. It wasn't the most spacious room in the house, and the bed definitely left something to be desired for his needs, but it would have to do, and he figured Quinn needed space more than he needed to be comfortable.

Realizing that he'd grabbed his meds but had nothing to drink, he threw his pillow and pill bottles onto the bed and went to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge. He paused a moment, looking around the deserted room, bathed in the light of the fridge, before shutting the door and heading back to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He knew he should leave it open, because Bailey would probably want to come in, but he figured Quinn needed Bailey more than he did.

Artie shifted slightly in his chair, his hand traveling to his lower back and running along the knots he felt in the muscles there. He surveyed the pill bottles on the bed, opening both of them and taking out a couple of pills, which he swallowed before moving onto the bed. It took a couple of tries, the result of it being a different bed than he was used to and some tightness in his legs, but eventually he was on the bed and semi-comfortable.

Staring up at the ceiling, he thought about the last twenty four hours. At some point during the day, he'd realized that he had become so wrapped up in believing that everything would work, and Quinn would be pregnant, that he had stopped being realistic. Of course these things didn't always work the first time. He knew that. Quinn knew that. Everyone knew that.

He wasn't sure what he could do to make things right with Quinn. Of course, he knew they would be right eventually, but he didn't know what to do in order to get there. He knew that she knew he was having a hard time, but that was definitely no excuse for the way he had acted. He had walked out when she needed him the most, and then, to add to that, he'd decided it was the perfect time to start drinking. There were few things he felt as strongly about as drinking, and he knew she felt the same, and then he'd gone and done it.

He had been searching for what it had been that had driven him over the edge, to Puck's garage, where he'd basically demanded a beer, but he wasn't sure. Maybe it was a combination of everything crashing down around him, but maybe it was something else.

It had occurred to him that, in the bigger picture, the choice someone made to drink was the reason for the situation he and Quinn found themselves in. He'd brushed the thoughts off, labeling them as ridiculous, because even if the driver of the car that had hit them hadn't been drinking, it could still have happened. Or something else could have happened…it wasn't something anyone had any control over, and there was nothing that could be done to change it anyway.

He'd told his dad that maybe they were meant to have only Avery, but he didn't really believe that either. There was no way that a family that wanted to have another baby so much could be meant to not have that wish fulfilled.

Of course, adoption was still a possibility for them, but by this point it had become so important to Artie that they be able to have their own baby, that it really wasn't an option in his mind.

He wondered what Quinn was doing, in their bedroom. She was probably sleeping, he thought, since she hadn't slept much the night before. It had been the right decision to go sleep in the guest room. He wondered if maybe he should do that for more than just the one night, but he really didn't want Avery to know that they were having problems, and she would certainly know that something was wrong if he didn't sleep in their bedroom.

He wondered…were they having actual marital problems, or was the whole situation something that would just blow over? Quinn had said time and time again that she would be happy even if they didn't have another baby, that they would still have their family, of course, and they'd get through everything together…was that still the case? What if he had gone too far, and she wasn't willing to do that anymore?

He knew one thing for certain…he was going to have to clean up his act and stop acting the way he had in the past when things didn't go the way he hoped they would.

He couldn't understand…he was usually so collected, and together, but the whole baby thing seemed to have screwed everything up in his mind. Nothing made sense anymore, he didn't know how to react with things, or cope with them, and that scared him.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in their bedroom, Quinn laid in bed, her arm wrapped around Bailey, hot tears running down her cheeks in even streams.<p>

After Artie had left the bedroom, she'd just stared at the doorway for a couple of moments, before the realization hit her. For the first time since they were married, they were both going to be sleeping in the house, but not in bed together. Of course, one of them occasionally ended up in bed with Avery, but that was different.

This time, he had chosen to sleep in the guest bedroom, rather than in bed with her. Part of her wondered if it had to do with the fact that he couldn't stand to look at her, because it would just remind him of everything that hadn't worked out, but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Of course that wasn't it. He loved her, and their family, and probably just wanted some space.

Still…she didn't know if she could sleep without him that night, regardless of the reason for his not being in bed with her. She was still mad, but those feelings had calmed down a little throughout the course of the day, though she had tried her hardest to make it seem like she wasn't caving to the fact that she couldn't stay mad at him for long, no matter what had happened.

She tossed and turned for a bit, thinking about everything that had happened. Clearly she hadn't approached it right, if her giving Artie the news that there would be no baby had driven him so far over the edge that he started drinking.

In the ten years the two of them had been together, she had never once seen him drink, nor had she ever heard about him drinking when she wasn't there. She knew he felt strongly about drinking and how unnecessary it was, and the fact that he'd even done it in the first place was a major indicator of how low he'd been feeling.

But, still, the voice in the back of her mind reminded her…she had needed the two of them to be together, and he'd left.

She continued to try and get comfortable, closing her eyes and trying to sleep, to no avail. She imagined that Artie was probably long-passed out in the guest room, judging from the pills he had taken with him when he'd left the bedroom.

Still, she thought…she had to go see. If he wasn't sleeping, maybe he'd be willing to come back to the bedroom, and they could both get some sleep.

* * *

><p>The soft knocking at the door made Artie jump, and he reached over, turning on the light on the bedside table, before putting his glasses back on his face.<p>

"Quinn?" he murmured, as she came into focus, standing in the doorway, her eyes red. "What's wrong?"

"Did I wake you?" she asked softly, approaching the bed and sitting down on it.

"What? No…I was awake. What's wrong?" he repeated the question, studying her face. "Are you ok?"

"No, I'm not," she whispered, moving closer, before lying down next to him. "I can't sleep…something's missing from our bed."

"Oh, sorry, do you want my pillow back?" he asked, frowning slightly as soon as the words left his lips. He hadn't thought that his medication had kicked in yet, but clearly it was working on it.

Quinn nodded, resting her hand on his chest.

"I think that's probably a good idea," she said, after a moment, glancing past him at the pills he'd taken with him, before looking back at him. "I was thinking…maybe you could bring it back, and then you could just…stay."

"I could do that," Artie murmured, looking over at her. "Quinn…I'm sorry. I know I've said it a bunch of times, but it's true, and I just…" he trailed off, looking away. "I think I'm high."

"I know, babe," Quinn whispered, moving a little and placing a kiss on his cheek. "I know. It's ok. Do you think you can come back to bed, or should we just sleep here?"

"I'd sleep on the floor with you," Artie murmured, his arm wrapping around her. "I think I can come back to bed, but I might need a little help."

"You know I'm always around to help," Quinn answered, smiling a little, placing another kiss on his cheek, before carefully getting off the bed.

It took a bit of careful maneuvering, and more help from Quinn than Artie would have liked, but before long, he was in his chair, and they were headed back to their room.

Once they arrived, Quinn stood by as he got into bed, gently pulling a blanket over him, before getting into bed herself, moving to her usual space at his side.

"Is this ok?" she asked, resting on her elbow, looking at him. "Does your back hurt?"

"A little, but this is perfect," Artie said, smiling at her as she settled in, resting her head against his chest. "I know you couldn't sleep because you didn't have my pillow," he added, a moment later.

"I do need my Artie pillow to sleep," Quinn said, smiling a little, feeling herself starting to relax.

"I didn't know if you would want me back," Artie admitted, silently cursing the fact that he'd decided to take something, thereby making his tongue a little looser than it might have been otherwise. "I just wanted to give you a little space."

"You know I always want you back," Quinn answered softly, gently rubbing her hand down his arm. "We had a fight, and maybe you didn't handle it the best way possible, but it happens, and I'm almost not mad anymore," she murmured, looking up at him. "I think about five more minutes in your presence and any mad feelings I had will be totally gone."

"But you should be mad," Artie insisted, shifting slightly. "Because I did something stupid, and awful, and left you when you needed me to be here and be strong for you," he choked out, taking a deep breath.

"Shhh, babe, it's ok," Quinn said, continuing to stroke his arm. "That's done now…and we're going to work on things so that we don't find ourselves in a situation like this again, right?"

"Right," Artie murmured, nodding. "I still think you should be mad."

"Do you want me to be mad?" Quinn asked, moving up the bed so that her head was next to his on the pillow.

"No…but I don't want you to forgive me just because you love me either," he murmured, shrugging slightly. "Or because I look cute and you like lying in bed with me."

His comment made Quinn grin, and she leaned over, kissing him.

"Those are only some of the reasons I find it easy to forgive you," she said, nodding. "Mostly because you look cute."

"Knew it," Artie said, and Quinn could tell he was starting to fade on her.

"I think we should sleep pretty quickly here," she whispered, nuzzling against his neck. "We can always talk about this some more tomorrow if you think we need to. Or we can just consider it water under the bridge and move forward."

"Water under the bridge," Artie murmured, leaning her head against hers. "Have I told you lately how much I love you? I know I haven't shown it to you the last couple of days…"

"Shhh, you show it to me every day, even when it seems like you're not," Quinn said, leaning up and kissing his nose. "You sleep now, and tomorrow morning we'll go pick up Avery and go out for breakfast somewhere. Ok?"

"Mm'k," Artie whispered, his eyes drifting shut. "Love you."

"I love you too, babe," Quinn murmured, pulling the blanket up a little higher to cover both of them. "Goodnight."

**A/N: I realize that Quinn and Artie seem to spend most of their time in bed lately, but I assure you that that will not always be the case! **

…**unless you guys like seeing them in bed all the time, then I will continue to have them there! You can let me know via review. ;)**


	26. Chapter 26

The ringing of the telephone woke Quinn and Artie up at 5:55am the next morning. Thinking something was wrong, Artie grabbed the phone, answering it without even looking at who was calling.

"Daddy, it's almost time for your alarm to ring and I'm ready to come home now!" Avery's cheerful voice rang out through the phone. "Are you awake? Grandma said you wouldn't be yet, but I wanted to phone you because I knew you would be!"

"Hey, Princess," Artie murmured, a small smile forming on his face as he yawned. "We're awake," he added, glancing over at Quinn, her eyes still closed. "I think it's a little early for us to come over there and pick you up. Are you ok to wait a little while longer, and we'll come get you and go out for some breakfast?"

"Yay!" Avery's voice could be heard, as well as something that sounded like the phone falling to the ground, followed by some rustling around. "Sorry, Daddy, I dropped the phone, and then I was accidentally too noisy and I think I woke up Grandpa," she whispered, giggling.

Artie chuckled slightly, hearing the voices of both his parents in the background.

"Can you put Grandma on, Princess? We'll come pick you up in a couple of hours, ok?" he asked, shifting slightly.

"Ok. Bye, Daddy! I love you!" Avery said, handing off the phone to her grandmother before Artie could answer.

"I told her you were probably still asleep," Beth said, watching as Avery climbed into bed with her grandpa. "But she insisted…we were practicing telling time yesterday, and she said that 5:55 is almost what it looks like when your alarm beeps."

Artie laughed, wondering how many times Avery had been in the room with him and Quinn, staring at the alarm, knowing that it would beep when it read 6:00.

"Well, she was right about that," Artie answered, stifling a yawn. "I told her we'd come pick her up in a couple of hours and take her for breakfast…is that ok?"

"Of course," Beth said, smiling as she took a picture of Avery and Steve cuddled under the covers with Daisy. "No rush, she's perfectly fine where she is right now."

Artie talked to his mother for a few more minutes, before hanging up the phone, turning to Quinn.

"Hi," he said quietly, as she pried her eyes open, looking at him. "We still have a couple of hours…do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No, I'm awake now," Quinn murmured, inching closer to him. "I think we should just stay here like this for a little while," she added, pulling his arm around herself. "But you need to get up first…just make sure you come back."

Grinning, Artie assured her that he would, before leaving the bed.

* * *

><p>The two of them cuddled in bed for an hour or so, not really speaking much, before Quinn announced that they should get up and get ready to go pick up Avery.<p>

"You want me in bed, you want me to get out of bed…make up your mind, Woman," Artie muttered, covering his face with a pillow once Quinn was out of bed. "We could easily stay here for another…five minutes."

Quinn laughed, before grabbing a pillow from the bottom of their bed and throwing it at him.

"I don't have to make up my mind, because I know you'll do whatever I say," she said, somewhat suggestively, standing over him. "But you do need to get up now, or we're going to be late."

"Fiiiiine," Artie gave in, removing the pillow from his face. He looked around for a moment, before wrinkling his nose. "I think I better have a shower before anything else happens here."

"I'm not going to argue that," Quinn murmured, playfully, backing away from the bed.

Laughing, Artie got up, and before long the two of them were ready to go get Avery.

"We still need to go get my car," Quinn observed, as they headed out to the van, the car having been forgotten the day before. "Maybe we can do that on the way home," she suggested. "We can just tell Avery that it had some problems and Puck fixed it. Right?"

"Right," Artie agreed, as he waited for the van's ramp to lower. "I'm really looking forward to spending a little time with my best girls this morning."

"You mean you're really looking forward to eating the biggest breakfast ever," Quinn teased, shutting the door once he was in the van. "But just so you know…your best girls are looking forward to spending time with you, too."

* * *

><p>After a brief chat with Artie's parents, Artie, Quinn, and Avery headed off to breakfast, at a little diner that was a favourite of all of theirs. It was clear that Beth had wanted to ask her son all sorts of questions, but an imploring look from him made her hold them in…for now. She would talk about what had happened the day before with him later.<p>

"Oh, Daddy! Grandma forgetted to ask you, but she said we should come for dinner tonight! Can we?" Avery asked from the backseat, as they pulled into the parking lot at the diner. "Can I phone her from your phone and tell her we can come?"

Exchanging a glance with Quinn, Artie turned to Avery once he'd parked.

"I think we can probably do that," he said, nodding. "But I think right now we should go get some breakfast."

Once they were out of the van, the three of them headed to the door of the diner, which Artie held open, while Quinn and Avery walked inside. He followed behind them to a booth, watching as his perfect little family got situated at the table. It was something he already knew, but watching them reminded him once again that he was perfectly happy, and would be, even if Quinn was never able to get pregnant.

He hadn't realized that he'd stopped, just watching them, until Avery's voice rang out.

"Daddy, we're over here," she called out, waving at him.

Grinning, he joined them at the table, as Avery spread out a menu for all three of them to share, studying the pictures, trying to decide what she wanted.

"I want waffles," she said, after a moment, pointing to a picture of a waffle covered in strawberries and whipped cream. "But I want bacon too…can I share with you?" she asked, looking at both of her parents.

"Wait, you want to eat my food?!" Artie asked, trying to look serious. "That's not allowed."

"But you always share with me," Avery giggled, looking at the menu some more. "I know you're going to get this," she added, pointing to a picture of some eggs, pancakes, bacon, and sausages. "And then you're going to let me have a sausage and some bacon, and Mommy will get this," she added, pointing to a picture of some waffles covered in assorted fruit with a side of bacon. "Right?"

"I think we come here too often," Quinn said, leaning over to talk to Artie, while Avery examined the maze on her kids' place mat. When the waitress came over, they ordered, and soon Avery was carefully tracing the maze with her finger, trying to figure out how to get to the end.

"They have the best breakfast in town," Artie said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Well, I mean, besides the breakfast that I make. Right, Avery?"

"Yes, Daddy, you make the best breakfast ever…just not pancakes," Avery answered dutifully, grinning at her parents. "I'm hungry! Is it almost food time?"

"Almost," Quinn said, glancing over at the clock. "Do you want a crayon to do that maze?"

"Yes, please," Avery said, as Quinn handed her a crayon. "Thank you!"

Quinn helped Avery with her maze, and before long, the food arrived.

"Daddy, can you please help?" Avery asked, pushing her plate closer to Artie and handing him her fork and knife. "It's slippery!"

Artie chuckled slightly as he cut the waffle into little pieces, and then gave the plate back to her.

"Thank you, Daddy," she said, taking a bite. "These waffles are soooo good! Try some!"

After Artie had tried some, Avery offered some to Quinn, and then they each gave her some of their bacon, along with a sausage from Artie's plate. They continued to eat, chatting about all sorts of things.

* * *

><p>After breakfast, the three of them headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things, to pick up Quinn's car, and then back home, where they decided to do a little digging around in the garden.<p>

"Daddy, we forgetted to phone Grandma and tell her we can come for dinner," Avery called out, across the yard, running towards Artie. "Can you call her now, and bring me a band aid?" she added, holding out her finger. "A stick bit me. I need a Hello Kitty band aid."

Surveying the small cut, Artie frowned slightly.

"Why don't you come inside with me, and we'll get that cleaned before we put a band aid on it," he suggested, before looking over at Quinn. "We're just going to go inside and take care of this," he said, gesturing to Avery's finger. "We'll be right back."

Standing, Quinn headed over to have a look, biting back a laugh as she looked at it.

"It's just a scratch," she said, grabbing a tissue and wiping Avery's finger. "See? It's not even bleeding, really."

"I'm still going to clean it," Artie said, as Avery climbed into his lap. "Just to make sure it doesn't get infected."

"I need a band aid," Avery affirmed, nodding. "So it doesn't get affected."

"Well, alright then," Quinn said, leaning down and kissing Avery's cheek, before doing the same to Artie. "Just hurry back...I can't do all of this work myself!"

"We will!" Avery assured her, settling herself across Artie's lap.

Quinn watched as the two of them headed inside, smiling at the fact that, in her opinion, their little family was pretty much perfect. Even if they couldn't have another baby...she couldn't have been happier with what they had.

* * *

><p>After Artie had cleaned Avery's finger and put a band aid on it, he sent her back outside to help Quinn, before picking up the phone. It rang a couple of times, before someone answered.<p>

"Hello?" his mother's voice could be heard through the phone.

"Hi, Mom," Artie answered, smiling a little at the sound of her voice. "I was given the order to call you because you...forgetted to invite us over for dinner," he added, shifting slightly.

"I did!" Beth exclaimed, laughing. "I figured Avery would bring it up and we'd be hearing from you."

"Sorry, we were out for breakfast, then did some shopping, and are doing yard work now," Artie explained. "Or...Quinn and Avery are doing yard work, and I'm doing whatever little miscellaneous jobs they give me. Just finished organizing the shelves in the shed, because Avery said the grass was too wet and cold, and I might get cold if I helped with the weeding."

"Well, she does have a point," Beth answered him, imagining her son's expression at that moment. "It is kind of wet and cold out there. And I'm sure the shelves needed to be organized."

"Not really...I think it was just a make work for Artie project," Artie said, chuckling. "But it does look better in there now."

"Sometimes everyone needs that kind of projects," she said, thinking about it. "So, you're coming for dinner, then? Because I've already got a bunch of things marinating. Michael is here, and he said he's going to barbeque."

"Oh...we don't want to intrude on your time with Michael, so maybe we shouldn't come," Artie said, a little too quickly. Pretty much the last thing he wanted to do was be around his brother. If he was there, that meant someone had probably told him about what Quinn and Artie had going on...and that was the last thing he wanted. He didn't want his brother knowing about that, ever.

"Sweetie, don't be silly! We'll have a nice family dinner," Beth said. "Besides, he wants to see you guys."

"Avery didn't mention that he was there," Artie said, feeling slightly panicky for a moment.

"That's because he's only been here for a couple of hours," Beth answered him, frowning. "Don't you want to see him?"

"Oh...no, of course we do," Artie muttered. "Mom, I have to go help Quinn and Avery finish up, because it looks like it's going to rain," he added, looking out the window at the mostly cloud-less sky. "I'll see you later, though? What should we bring?"

Wondering what exactly was going on, Beth agreed.

"Alright, Sweetie, we'll see you guys when you get here. And you don't need to bring anything," she added. "I love you."

"We'll find something. I love you too, Mom," Artie said quietly, before hanging up the phone and heading back outside.

* * *

><p>"Artie, you should be happy that Michael is here, not mad about it," Quinn murmured into Artie's ear, after he'd finished complaining about the situation while he was getting dressed. "He hasn't been home in a while..."<p>

"I know that, but did it have to be today?" Artie muttered, putting on his socks. "Or...this week? They've probably told him."

"And?" Quinn asked, taking the socks from him and tossing them onto the bed, before seating herself in his lap. "Artie, he's your brother...I hate to break it to you, but he's not judging you or...out to get you, or whatever you think," she added, smoothing down his hair. "You know that, right?"

"I know," Artie muttered, looking down. "I just...I don't want him thinking about that stuff, or about me like that, or us. It's not normal, Quinn...the fewer people that know about it the better."

"Artie, there's no such thing as normal," Quinn said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "It's going to be fine."

Artie was cut off from answering her by Avery and Bailey coming tearing through their open door.

"We're going to be late!" the little girl insisted, looking at the clock on Artie's bedside table. "It's almost four five five and we have to leave at five zero zero!" she said, throwing up her arms. "That means we only have zero five minutes!"

It took all the effort Artie had to give to prevent him from bursting out laughing at their daughter's outburst. They'd been practicing how to tell time for quite a while, but it hadn't seemed to sink in until she'd spent most of the weekend with her grandparents.

"We only have zero five minutes, Artie," Quinn said, standing up from his lap and tossing his socks back at him. "You better hurry up!"

"Daddy, I can help," Avery said, moving closer to him. "I'm going to find your shoes!" she added, running over to the closet. "I have to find two that are the same," she explained, reaching into the closet. "I think you should wear these black ones!"

Artie would have worn whatever shoes she pulled out of the closet, but he was secretly relieved that she'd chosen those ones and not the fuzzy black bunny slippers that Avery had insisted he needed when they'd been shopping a few weeks earlier.

After a few minutes, the three of them and Bailey were in the van, ready to go.

* * *

><p>They'd barely made it through the door, before Avery had spotted Michael, flinging herself at him with a big, "UNCLE MICHAEL!", which made everyone laugh.<p>

After saying hi to everyone, Avery announced that she was going outside with Bailey to help Michael, who was getting the barbeque ready. Quinn said she'd go too, mostly to make sure Avery didn't get into trouble, but also because she both wanted to talk to Michael, and wanted to give Artie some time alone with his mother.

"Sweetie, Dad told me what was going on when he got there yesterday," Beth said, while she and Artie made a salad in the kitchen. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah," Artie said, shrugging slightly as he cut up some tomatoes. "I just had...a moment, but it's all good now." He hoped that his father hadn't shared the fact that he'd been drinking with his mother, but one look at her face told him that he had.

"You should have come here," Beth said quietly, putting down the bag of mushrooms she'd grabbed from the fridge. "Or called."

"No, I should have stayed with Quinn, because she needed me," Artie muttered, continuing to cut the tomatoes. "It was stupid, but we've talked about it and we're good again now. Can we please talk about something else?" he implored, looking up at her across the low part of the counter.

"Of course," Beth said, frowning slightly at her son's reaction. "Did Avery show you how she can almost tell time now?" she asked, smiling a little, her smile widening when she saw him smile too.

"Yeah...she told us we had...zero five minutes before we had to leave tonight," Artie chuckled, putting the tomatoes in the bowl on top of the lettuce his mother had cut up. "It seems like it's finally clicking for her. Which is good...I was worried she might be like Michael and not be able to tell time until she was ten..."

"I heard my name," a voice spoke up, from behind Artie. He turned, seeing Michael standing behind him. "I wasn't ten...I was nine and a half," he corrected, grinning a little. "And telling time is hard!"

"Avery is telling time, and she's six," Artie answered him, trying to keep a straight face.

"Alright, so...we know she didn't inherit her brain from her uncle, but she totally got her throwing arm from me...that kid can throw a stick bigger than her across the entire yard."

"Have you seen these muscles?" Artie asked, flexing his arm. "She didn't get that from you either."

Michael raised his eyebrow, before laughing.

"If you say so," he said, going over to the fridge and grabbing the things Beth had put in there to marinate. "Except that mine are natural and you only have those because of that," he added, gesturing to Artie's chair.

"Michael!" Beth's voice rang out, before Artie could even respond.

"Sorry," Michael muttered, taking the meat and closing the fridge. "It was just a joke," he added, looking at Artie, who was trying not to burst out laughing.

"I have most of my natural muscles up here," Artie said, gesturing to his head and trying to maintain his straight face. "If yours are in your arms, then I guess we know why Avery got her brains from her parents and not you."

"I set myself up for that," Michael said, grinning a little. "Looks like you're right," he added, before heading out to the barbeque in the back yard.

"I had hoped that you boys would grow out of that eventually, but it doesn't look promising," Beth said, smiling at Artie. "Sweetie, I was going to ask you...why didn't you want to come when you knew that Michael would be here?" she asked, sitting down in a chair next to Artie after drying her hands. "Did something happen with you two that I don't know about?"

"What? No," Artie said, shifting. "I just...did anyone tell him about what Quinn and I've been trying to do, and how nothing is working?" he asked, after a moment, his voice quiet. "I don't want him to know about that."

"Well, I didn't," Beth said, thinking about it. "And I doubt your dad or Linds did."

"Wait...Linds knows?" Artie asked, his eyes widening slightly. "What?!"

"Sweetie...of course Linds knows," Beth said, reaching out and taking his hand. "I assume you guys haven't really talked about it, but I know she and Quinn have."

"I...was unaware," Artie muttered, looking away for a moment. "But I guess she kind of had to find out, since Avery has been here so much lately and Linds has picked her up from school..." he trailed off, thinking about it. "I still don't want Michael to know."

"What do you think is going to happen if he knows?" Beth wondered aloud, looking out the window in time to catch Michael lifting Avery up so she could look into the barbeque. "Sweetie, he loves you, and he cares about you, Quinn, and Avery, and he wouldn't...judge you, or think badly about you because of that."

"I know, but it's just...embarrassing," Artie said, looking out the window.

"Well, maybe not today, but I think you should talk about it with him," Beth suggested, as Avery came into the kitchen. "Hi, Sweetie! How's it going out there?" she asked her granddaughter.

"Good! We're playing, and Uncle Michael is making steak and chicken and fish and he said I could have some of everything," Avery said, sitting down at the table. "I can, right, Daddy?" she asked, looking over at Artie.

"Of course," Artie answered, smiling at her. "You can have whatever you want."

* * *

><p>Dinner was a fairly casual affair, with Linds and Steve both showing up minutes before it was to be served.<p>

After dinner, they all sat around the living room, casually chatting about life, hearing about a girl Michael had briefly dated, and about how Linds was pretty sure she was "done" with boys.

The conversation continued, and before long, Avery was passed out across Quinn's lap, the playing she'd been doing throughout the day having exhausted her.

"We should probably go," Artie said, looking over at Avery.

"No, we can put her to sleep in my bed for a little while," Linds said, jumping up a little too quickly. "Here, I've got her," she added softly, standing over Quinn and picking up the little girl in her arms, before carrying her out of the room.

"Or...we can stay for a while longer," Artie said, watching as Linds walked away with his daughter. "I wonder what that was about."

"We never get all three of you here at the same time anymore," Beth said, smiling at her son. "Linds probably just wants to keep everyone together for a while longer."

"Oh, before I forget, I have something for you," Michael announced, pulling a crumpled envelope out of his pocket and handing it to his brother. "Sorry...it got a little wrinkled."

Wondering what was inside, Artie opened the envelope, and pulled out a cheque. Looking at the amount, he turned to his brother.

"Did I lend you money and forget...?" he asked, a questioning look on his face. "What's this for?"

"No," Michael said, shifting and suddenly looking uncomfortable as he looked between Quinn and Artie, and then at his sister, who had just come back into the room. "Linds told me what you guys were...doing, and what happened, and I thought you probably needed money. I have a bunch of savings, so I thought I would just help."

Artie stared at his brother, before looking at his sister, and then at Quinn and his mother, both of whom had tears in their eyes, and then at his father, before his eyes made their way back to Michael.

"We can't take this," he said, attempting to hand the cheque back to his brother. "Thanks, but we...can't."

"Yes, you can," Linds cut in, getting up and handing him her own envelope. "And you can take this one too."

"And this one," Steve said, reaching over and handing him a third envelope. He'd been planning to talk to Artie about it discreetly before they left, but clearly that wasn't going to be happening.

He and Beth had already talked about helping them so that they could try again, but neither of them had been aware that their other children had also been making the same plans.

"We can't take any of these," Artie said, his tone clipped as he looked over at Quinn, who looked like she was close to bursting into tears. "Thank you, but we aren't going to take charity," he muttered, looking down.

"Charity? I'm expecting that you're going to be paying me back," Michael said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at his brother. His intention had been to just give them the money, although he knew that Artie wouldn't take it.

"Oh, yeah...me too," Linds said, nodding. "And so are Mom and Dad. Right?" she asked, looking across the room at her parents.

"Of course," Steve answered, nodding despite the fact that he and Beth had planned to just give them the money, rather than loaning it to them.

"We can't...we're not going to be able to pay it back in a...timely manner, especially if we do it again and it works," Artie said, sighing as he looked over at Quinn, who had yet to say anything. "Quinn, say something," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers.

"Artie..." Quinn trailed off, a couple of tears running down her cheeks as she looked around the room. "I don't think they're going to take no for an answer," she said, sniffling slightly as she moved closer to him.

"Nope," Linds said, standing up and going over to hug them both. "This is the Abrams family...we don't take no for an answer," she added, grinning at them both. "And we don't give up on stuff, and we help each other, so just be quiet, Artie, and say thank you, and then make arrangements to get me another little niece or nephew...Avery's going to be too old to think her Aunty Linds is cool soon, and I'm going to need someone else to have fun with."

"I don't think Avery will ever think Aunty Linds isn't cool," Quinn said, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. "The same goes for her Uncle Michael," she added, looking over at Michael, who got up and went over to give Quinn a hug, before turning to Artie.

"What Linds said," he said, simply, leaning down to wrap his arm around his brother. "Except I already knew that Avery would never think that about me," he added, giving an exaggerated wink to Quinn and Artie, causing Linds to smack him. "But seriously...just take it, and...pay it back whenever you can."

"Thank you," Artie said quietly, looking between the two of them, before glancing over at his parents, noticing that his mother was now crying openly.

"Mom, don't cry," he added, reaching over for his chair so he could get off the couch and go over to her. His actions were too slow, however, and she had her arms wrapped around him, and then Quinn, before he was able to do so.

"I'm just so proud of all my kids," Beth said, tearfully, wrapping her arms around Michael and Linds. "And-" she was cut off by the sound of small footsteps entering the room.

"I was sleeping in Aunty Linds's room all by myself," Avery said, sleepily, looking between everyone. "Mommy, why are you and my grandma crying?" she asked, climbing up on the couch between her parents. "Are you sad?"

"No, we're not sad, Sweetie," Quinn said, as Avery crawled into her lap. "We just...heard a really nice story, that's all," she said, smiling at everyone else in the room. "Did we wake you?"

"No, I had to go to the bathroom, and then I could hear everyone and wanted to come see," Avery yawned, pulling a blanket over herself. "Your lap is warm," she added, closing her eyes.

They chatted quietly for a little while longer, before Artie said that he thought they really did need to get Avery home, if she was going to get enough sleep to go to school the next day, and shortly thereafter, they were being escorted out to the van by everyone, Avery passed out in Michael's arms.

"I'll get her buckled in," Quinn said, climbing into the van once Michael had deposited Avery into her seat, wanting to give Artie a moment alone with anyone he might need one with.

"I think I might start coming home more," Michael said to Artie, standing next to the van. "Hang out with the fam more and stuff. Maybe we could have a regular thing. What do you think?" he asked, looking down at his brother.

"I think...that would be great," Artie said, smiling up at him. "If you're around more, and I see you more, I won't feel as bad asking you to help with some stuff around our house," he joked, grinning.

"And I won't feel bad emailing you my papers and getting you to proofread them," Michael returned, laughing. "Maybe we can reach some sort of agreement."

"Maybe we can," Artie said, nodding. "Michael...thank you."

"You should have just told me," Michale said, leaning down and giving him a hug. "Sounds like you could have used someone to talk to that wasn't...anyone else that you had at your disposal. Call me if you find yourself in that situation again, ok?"

"Ok," Artie answered, returning the hug. "I will."

* * *

><p>After a few words with Linds and his parents, Artie and Quinn headed for home, Avery and Bailey both asleep in the back of the van.<p>

"Babe...I'm so proud to be part of this family," Quinn said quietly, reaching out and touching his arm as he drove them home. "And I'm so proud to be your wife, and Avery's mom, and I just..." she trailed off, a couple of tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you for not saying no."

"You heard what Linds said," Artie answered, briefly looking over at her before looking back at the road. "No one in the Abrams family takes no for an answer, and we don't give up, so we're not going to..."

"No, we're not going to," Quinn murmured, her hand still resting on his arm. "Not ever."

**A/N: This chapter is not at all what I thought it would be when I started it, but I hope it didn't disappoint.**

**I figured there had better be some serious cuteness to make up for the :( feelings that have been abundant recently. **

…**but I also know that some of you think there is too much cuteness and fluff, and I can't please everyone! I will try to balance it out a little more from now on!**

**I'm going away for the weekend, so this will likely be the last update for a few days, but I will be back next week! **


	27. Chapter 27

"Mommy, when I was at Grandma's house today after school, she said that there's a dance for daddies and daughters at the community centre, and I want to take Daddy for Father's Day."

The words burst from Avery's lips as soon as Quinn picked her up from Judy's house, as if she was unable to contain herself.

"He'll want to go, right?" she asked, a moment later, once she was buckled into her seat. "I really want to go! Grandma said it would be lots of fun!"

Quinn had been working that day, and Judy had the day off, so she had picked Avery up from school until Quinn or Artie could pick her up on their way home.

Pretty much the last thing he wanted to do was go somewhere with Avery where there was a chance that she would be made fun of because her daddy couldn't dance with her properly, but he wasn't about to say that to her.

"Grandma said that I could wear a fancy dress and that lots of daddies want to take their daughters to it,," Avery chattered, from the back seat. "I know Daddy will want to go."

"Of course he will," Quinn assured the little girl, even though she knew Artie would be anything but excited at the prospect of going to a dance.

"Yay!" Avery squealed, clapping her hands. "I'm so excited! I'm going to make Daddy an invitation as soon as we get home!"

"Good," Quinn said, her smile widening as he pulled into the driveway. "I like it when you're excited."

* * *

><p>Once they'd arrived at home, Avery insisted that she was going to go to her room to colour for a little while, asking Quinn to come along so that she could help her write the contents of the invitation. By the time they were done, the invitation was covered in hearts, stickers, and a picture of the two of them, and Avery insisted that she had to give it to him right away.<p>

Running out of her room, she thrust the invitation into his hands, a big grin on her face.

"Daddy, will you go on a date with me for Father's Day?" she asked, opening the invitation to show him. "I made this for you! Will you come?"

Artie smiled as he looked at the invitation, feeling his eyes fill slightly with tears.

"Of course I'll come," he said, holding the invitation in his hands. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Yay!" Avery cried out, throwing her arms around him. "Daddy, it's going to be the best Father's Day ever!

* * *

><p>"Maybe my dad can take her," Artie suggested to Quinn that night, as they got ready for bed. "That would be fine, right? If I'd known it was a dance I wouldn't have said yes so quickly…"<p>

"Artie…it's not Grandfather's Day," Quinn murmured, reaching over and gently stroking his arm, causing him to pause in pulling up the pajama pants he'd just worked his feet into. "She wants to go with you."

"Well, he's also a father…" Artie said, averting his eyes for a moment. "I can't take her to a dance."

"Artie, she's really excited. One of Mom's friends is organizing it, and she said it would be fairly small…it'll be fun," Quinn said, moving a little closer to him. "She asked me if she could get her ears pierced for her 'date with Daddy' and when I said we could talk about it but that she had to know it would hurt, she said it didn't matter because she wants to look extra pretty. And she's already picked out what she wants to wear…and I've already picked out what you're going to wear."

"Wait…what?" Artie asked, his gaze meeting Quinn's. "She is not getting holes punched in her ears!"

"Artie…I had my ears pierced when I was around the same age," Quinn said, biting back a grin at the fact that he'd been so preoccupied by that that he hadn't even made a comment about Quinn picking out an outfit for him. "It doesn't hurt THAT much…I just wanted to make sure she knew it wasn't totally painless."

"Fine," Artie conceded, nodding. "But wait…that was fine to the ear piercing, not fine to the dance or to you picking out my outfit for something we're not going to."

"Artie, she really wants to go, and she's going to be so disappointed if you say no," Quinn said, withdrawing her hand from his arm and sitting up. "Why don't you want to go? We used to go to stuff like that with my dad, and it was always nice. And didn't your dad used to take Linds?"

"Used to? They still go," Artie said, thinking about it. "He says he hates it, but he goes because she drags him along. I think he secretly likes it."

"Well, then he can't take Avery anyway and you'll have to go," Quinn commented, getting up from the bed and going to the bathroom to get a glass of water for each of them. "I think it's really unfair of you to even suggest not going, to be honest," Quinn admitted, coming back and handing him a glass.

"Quinn…I can't even dance with her. She's just going to be embarrassed," Artie murmured, taking the glass of water and putting it on his nightstand. "I don't want her being made fun of."

"You can't dance?" Quinn asked, raising an eyebrow. "I seem to remember you doing ok at our wedding, and…any of the other times we've danced. And any of the times you've danced Avery around the living room," she added, nodding.

"But that was different," Artie sighed, getting back to work on getting his pants on. "That was with our families and friends, and at home, and not…in public, in front of a bunch of strangers."

"Artie, I don't know what you think is going to happen," Quinn said softly, moving closer to him again. "No one's going to think…whatever is running through your mind right now. And even if they do, Avery won't care. She just wants to take you there and dance with you."

"I know that," Artie muttered, shifting around a little as he pulled his pants up over his hips. "I just…I don't want to put on display for her how sub-par I am compared to the other dads. And very few things will do that better than a dance…"

"Oh, stop," Quinn said, reaching over and taking his hand. "More like you don't want to embarrass anyone with your amazing dance moves," she joked, leaning over and kissing him. "Right?"

"You've found me out," Artie said, grinning a little. "You always do."

"I know…that's my job as your wife," Quinn said, cuddling up to him. "Now, go to sleep…it's late. I love you."

"I love you too," Artie answered, his arm finding its way around her, before he shut off the light.

* * *

><p>The day of the dance arrived a little too soon for Artie's liking, but how excited Avery was made him feel a little better about the whole thing. Quinn had taken her to get her ears pierced the Wednesday prior, and that seemed to just amplify her excitement.<p>

Artie had just finished putting on the tie Quinn had picked out for him, that matched Avery's dress, when the little girl came prancing into the bedroom, twirling once she was in front of him.

"Daddy, do you like my dress?" she asked, twirling again. "It matches your tie! Are you ready to go? Do you like my shoes? Look at my necklace!" she added, climbing into his lap so he could see better. "I'm really excited!"

"I love your dress, and your shoes, and your necklace, and you," Artie said, grinning, as he kissed her on the cheek. "And I'm almost ready…I just need to put on my shoes."

"Did you like your special surprise dinner and the present I made for you at school?" Avery asked, climbing down so that he could put on his shoes. "I hid it in my room so you wouldn't see it!"

"I loved dinner and all the presents you gave me," Artie answered her, grabbing his shoes out of the closet. "You sure did a good job of keeping it hidden…I had no idea," he added, as Avery watched as he tied his shoe.

"Someone said my Father's Day craft presents were ugly, and that a daddy wouldn't like pink glitter, but I knew you would like it," Avery said, nodding. "Right?"

"Of course!" Artie affirmed arranging his feet once his shoes were on. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready!" Avery burst out, her smile widening even further. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Quinn had suggested that she would drop them off at the dance, but Avery insisted that Artie had to drive them. This put a slight crimp in Quinn's plan to sneak in and take some pictures before leaving, but she decided to just take her car, go in, get the pictures, and leave again.<p>

She kissed them both goodbye, and before long they were in the van, heading to the dance.

"Daddy, look, they saved us a parking space," Avery pointed out, once they got to the community centre. "They knew we were coming!"

Artie chuckled a little as he parked the van, ignoring the voice in the back of his head that blared of course there was parking, because people who needed those spots didn't go to dances.

"They did!" he said, as he shut off the engine. "That was pretty lucky, right?"

"Yes!" Avery half-yelled, unbuckling her seatbelt as she waited for Artie to get back into his chair to get out of the van. "I wonder if Grandpa and Aunty Linds are here yet?"

"I don't know," Artie said, shifting himself into his chair. "But we'll definitely have to look for them."

Once he was seated, they got out of the van, Avery dancing around beside Artie while they waited for the ramp to raise itself so that the door could be closed.

Artie glanced around at the fathers and daughters of various ages heading into the community centre, before looking at Avery.

"Can I sit on your lap?" Avery asked, climbing up before Artie could even formulate an answer. "I like it when people know you're my daddy," she added, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"And I like it when people know you're my daughter," Artie murmured, suddenly feeling slightly choked up. "Let's go in."

* * *

><p>"Daddy, I'm supposed to ask you to dance now," Avery insisted, when the music started playing. "Do you want to dance with me?"<p>

Artie grinned at Avery's question, thankful that it wasn't as busy in the large room as he'd been expecting.

"Weeeeeell," he said, pretending to be unsure of whether or not he wanted to dance with her. "I don't know. Do you want me to?"

"Daddy," Avery giggled, holding onto his hand and twirling around while holding onto his finger. "I want you to," she added, twirling around again before climbing up onto his lap.

"Then I guess I'd better do that," Artie said quietly, as she flung her arms around her neck, sitting on his lap.

From the door, Quinn watched the two of them, a soft smile on her face as she took a couple of pictures, thankful for the music and lights in the room covering up the fact that there were pictures being taken. Of course no one would mind, but she didn't want Artie and Avery to know that she was there…that could come after they were done.

"Daddy, I think you dance better than everyone," Avery whispered into Artie's ear, holding onto him as he twirled them around on the dance floor, being mindful of the feet of those around them. "Are you having fun? I want you to have fun."

"I am, Princess," Artie whispered back, as Avery tightened her grip around his neck. "I'm having a lot of fun."

Occasionally, he'd look around the room and spot eyes on them, but he tried his best to ignore them, hoping that Avery wouldn't notice. Maybe they weren't looking at them, he thought, before realizing that…of course they were.

"Daddy, can you twirl me around?" Avery asked, jumping down from his lap. "And look at my skirt when I twirl around!"

Artie grinned, twirling her around a couple of times and watching as her skirt puffed out around her, before she climbed back into his lap.

"That was some pretty fancy twirling," he said quietly, once she was situated. "What about you? Are you having fun?"

"Yes, Daddy," Avery said, grinning and kissing his cheek. "This is fun-oh, look! I found Grandpa and Aunty Linds!" she suddenly exclaimed loudly, pointing over to the side. "Hi!" she called out, waving to them. "Grandpa, I brought Daddy to the dance!"

"I can see that," Steve said, as he and Linds moved closer to the two of them. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes!" Avery piped up, nodding. "Look, Daddy and I are matching," she added, pointing to her dress and then to Artie's tie. "Are you having fun?"

"We are," Linds said, grinning at her niece. "I wanted Grandpa's tie to match me too, but we didn't quite make it."

"Oh no!" Avery said, her eyes going wide. "But it's almost matching!"

She turned to Artie then, her grasp on his neck tightening as she leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Daddy, can I ask Grandpa if he wants to dance with me for one dance?" she asked quietly. "Only one, and then I'll come back."

"Of course," Artie said, grinning at her, before whispering into her ear what she should say.

Avery climbed down, stepping over in front of her grandfather.

"Grandpa, may I have this dance?" she asked, holding out her hand. "Daddy and Aunty Linds can dance together, or they can take a break!" the little girl added, as if her explanation was what would decide whether or not he would dance with her.

"Of course," Steve said, grinning before reaching down to pick her up, holding her in her arms and dancing her around.

"We're just going to go get a drink," Artie said, nodding his head to Linds and indicating that she should follow him. They headed over to a table along the wall, grabbing some punch, before finding a place for Linds to sit down where he could park himself beside her.

"I can't believe she actually got you out to this," Linds mused, taking a drink from the glass in her hands. "Last time I talked to Quinn about it, you were still on the fence."

"She really wanted to come," Artie murmured, watching as his dad danced Avery around on the dance floor. "At least she's getting one proper dance."

"From what I could see, she's been getting proper dances all night," Linds pointed out, gesturing to him. "Her dad is a pretty good dancer."

"Right…" Artie trailed off, draining his glass. "I know you're biased, but look around, Linds. Look at all the little girls dancing with their dads, then look at Avery dancing with me…it doesn't even compare."

"You're right," Linds agreed, nodding. "All those little girls look happy, but no one looks as thrilled as Avery's looked this whole night. When you guys came in, she looked like she was going to explode with excitement."

"Well, like I said, at least she's having one proper dance," Artie muttered, staring at his glass. "I have a Father's Day gift and a card for Dad in the van…you guys can't leave until I get it for him," he said, louder, trying to change the topic of conversation.

"I'll try and remember," Linds agreed, deciding to drop the dancing thing.

Once the song had finished, Avery dragged Steve over to Artie and Linds, insisting that it was time for them to switch again. They danced for a while longer, until things started winding down, and Avery started looking sleepy.

"I think we should probably go home pretty soon," Artie said to Avery, as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Daddy, can we dance to one more song first?" the little girl asked softly, a small yawn exiting her lips. "I don't want to leave yet."

"Of course we can, Princess," Artie said, wrapping an arm around her, his free hand gently moving his chair to the music.

* * *

><p>After the song had ended, the two of them left, accompanied by Steve and Linds, who had decided to go home as well. At the van, Artie gave his father the gift he and Quinn had picked out, while Linds helped Avery get buckled in, and before long they were on their way home, Avery fighting to stay awake in the back seat.<p>

"Daddy, if I get a little sister, will you still go to the dance with me every year like Grandpa goes with Aunty Linds?" Avery asked from the back seat, the question catching Artie entirely off guard.

"What? Of course I will," he said, before biting his lip as he thought about her question. "I'll go with you as long as you want to go."

"But what if my little sister wants to go with you?" Avery asked quietly. "Then you could take her and maybe I could go next time."

"Well…if you get to have a little sister, I'd be more than happy to go with both of you," Artie answered, glancing into the rearview mirror.

_If_ being the operative word, he thought to himself. It hadn't really occurred to him yet that, as much as Avery wanted to be a big sister, there would also be some things that would change if they had more than one child, and Avery could be jealous. Actual jealousy wasn't something she'd really exhibited before, but in the back of his mind he always wondered if she would be openly jealous if they had another child.

"Yay!" Avery said, as they pulled into the driveway. "I love you, Daddy. Thank you for coming with me on our date tonight. You had fun, right?" she yawned, unbuckling herself once he'd shut off the engine.

"It was some of the most fun I've ever had," Artie answered her, as he swivelled his seat. "I love you, too."

The two of them got out of the van, where they were met by Quinn, and soon the three of them were inside.

After they'd tucked Avery into bed, Artie and Quinn snuggled on the couch together for a moment, before Quinn reached to the coffee table, picking up a photo that had been lying face down on the table.

"Next time you think you don't want to take Avery to something that involves dancing, I want you to look at this picture," she murmured, turning it over and showing it to Artie.

Artie looked at the picture, rendered speechless by what he saw.

It was clearly taken at the dance, and the looks on both his face and Avery's faces indicated pure happiness and enjoyment of the dance they were sharing. There was nothing awkward…it looked completely natural.

"It's-it's…nice," Artie whispered, taking the photo in his hand and studying it. "Avery looks so happy…where did you get this?"

"I may have snuck in and taken a few pictures," Quinn admitted, smiling at him. "Just remember, ok?"

Artie nodded, unable to say anything else, staring at the picture.

Even if Avery did get a little sister, there was no way he'd ever do anything that would make her feel jealous, if he could help it.

"I put the rest of them on the digital frame in our room," Quinn said, after giving him a minute. "Let's go to bed and look at them."

Artie agreed, giving the picture in his hand a final look, before placing it back on the coffee table, and getting ready to head to their bedroom with Quinn.

**A/N: Just a little in between chapter before we get back to serious business. Co-written with GLEEful Heart, as usual! **

**I know a lot of you love the Artie/Avery, and decided that we may as well go all out on that, while still managing to incorporate some of the themes that have carried on throughout the story.**

**I hope you enjoyed this! **


	28. Chapter 28

Quinn had just finished saying a prayer that the procedure would work this time around, when Artie came out of the bathroom, fresh out of the shower.

"I really wish you wouldn't come out of there looking so hot," she murmured, leaning over and kissing him, her fingers trailing down his chest after a stray drop of water. "You keep giving me all these feelings that I can't act on."

"Yeah, I have been known to drive the ladies wild," Artie grinned, after kissing her back. "As you know, I'm sure."

"Oh, I know," Quinn whispered into his ear, before straightening up. "And as much as I'd like to continue this, you need to get dressed now, or we'll be late."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day looked much like it did the last time they'd had the procedure done, with Artie insisting that they go right home so that Quinn could lie down and help their chances of becoming pregnant.<p>

This time, however, Avery would be home for the night, since it was in the middle of the week and she had school the next morning. She had been curious as to why Artie insisted that Quinn stay in bed, but hadn't asked too many questions, choosing instead to lie with them and watch tv, before helping Artie make dinner.

"Daddy, you're doing it wrong," Avery corrected, as Artie sat at the table, peeling some potatoes. "Mommy said you're supposed to do it like this," she explained, motioning as if she was peeling a potato away from herself. "Otherwise you might cut yourself and get blood on the potatoes."

"Oh, sorry," Artie said, biting back a grin as he started peeling the way she had explained. "Is that better?"

"Yes, Daddy, that's more safe," she supplied, before climbing down from her chair and going to the fridge. "We also have to cook some carrots, because they're healthy for our eyes," she went on, going over to the fridge and finding a couple of large carrots. "We learned that at school!"

"We can do that!" Artie said, taking the carrots from her and placing them on the table. "It's important to keep your eyes healthy, so you don't end up with glasses like mine."

"But Daddy, that would be ok, because then we'd be matching," the little girl insisted, sitting back down beside him. "I like it when we're matching."

"Well, I like it too, but I don't want you to need glasses," Artie said, as he finished the peeling. "That wouldn't be good!"

"I wouldn't mind, Daddy," Avery insisted, patting his arm. "You should eat lots of carrots tonight, just in case it might help."

"I will," Artie assured her, as he cut them up and put them in the pot. "Don't worry."

* * *

><p>By the time they'd finished cooking, Artie went to the bedroom to check on Quinn, insisting that they would bring in dinner so that she wouldn't have to get up, despite her protests. It took him and Avery several trips, but soon they were having a "dinner picnic" in their bedroom, Avery sitting on a chair at Quinn's nightstand, while Artie arranged Quinn's dinner on the small bed table that Quinn had purchased in an effort to get Artie to stay in bed and eat when he was sick or in pain.<p>

Quinn smiled slightly as Artie took care of everything, not saying anything to him about it being unnecessary, because she knew that, for him, it was necessary.

After they'd eaten their chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, Artie and Avery cleared away the dishes, and then they piled back into bed to watch tv for a bit, before it was Avery's bed time.

"I could have put her to bed," Quinn said, when Artie returned to their bedroom after tucking Avery in. "Is she asleep?"

"She is," Artie said, smiling slightly as he leaned forwards, stretching. "And you can put her to bed tomorrow…I just think you should stay lying down to help," he added quietly, looking at her as he attempted to massage some tightness from his back discreetly.

"I know you think that," Quinn said, rolling over onto her side and facing him. "Are you ok, babe? Is your back feeling sore?"

"Hmm?" Artie asked, straightening up, and shifting. "Oh, yeah…it's ok. Just a little tight, but nothing major," he added. "I think I might go have a shower before I get into bed with you…is that alright, or do you want me right now?"

As much as Quinn would have loved to have him in bed with her right away, she knew that his back might feel a little better after a shower.

"You should have a shower, take care of things and then come to bed," she said, yawning slightly. "I'll wait for you."

Artie agreed, and headed into the bathroom, thinking about how he'd make it go as quickly as possible so that he could get back to her.

* * *

><p>Quinn stayed in bed, listening to the water run in the shower and casually flipping through the channels, waiting for him to finish.<p>

Subconsciously, she moved her hand to her abdomen, placing it there lightly.

"You better be getting comfortable in there," she whispered, gently running her hand across her body. "I don't think either of will be able to stand it if you don't."

"Are you talking to me?"

Artie's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she realized he'd opened the bathroom door, indicating that he was finished in the shower.

"Oh, no, that was just the tv," Quinn answered him, loud enough that he'd be able to hear. "Sorry, babe. Are you almost done?"

"I should be in your arms within the next ten minutes," Artie called out, as he finished up in the bathroom.

He came out several minutes later, towel around his waist, before grabbing a pair of pajama pants from the dresser and heading over to the bed.

"If I'd known you were coming to torture me with the hotness, I would have asked you to put those on elsewhere," she joked, gesturing to the pants he'd put on the bed.

"Oh…do you want me to go get dressed out in the hall?" Artie asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to look serious. "Or the guest room? Living room?"

"No, because then I'll just be thinking about what you're doing, and it'll be worse than actually seeing it," Quinn said, biting back a grin. "Hurry up…I'm in dire need of your arms around me."

"Dire need?" Artie asked, as he moved himself over onto the bed. "Then I'd better hurry."

* * *

><p>Once he was in bed and had his pants on, the two of them cuddled, Artie eventually falling asleep before Quinn, something that was rare but not unheard of.<p>

She watched him for a little bit, wondering if he should have taken something for his back, before deciding that she would ask him if he woke up. Before she could think about it much further, she herself was asleep.

She was in the middle of a dream about bringing home their new baby, when something woke her with a start. She looked over at Artie, noticing that his face was contorted in pain.

"Babe?" she asked, softly, reaching out and stroking her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't want…to wake you," Artie said quietly, sucking in a deep breath halfway through his sentence. "You need your sleep…and I was trying to be quiet. Sorry."

"Oh, babe…" Quinn trailed off, moving her hand to his back, her fingers finding the offending muscles almost immediately. She gently massaged them for a moment, stopping when she noticed Artie biting down on his lip.

"You need to take something," she said, sitting up and reaching across him, grabbing one of his pill bottles from the drawer in the bedside table, shaking out a couple of pills before grabbing the bottle of water from her own table. "Here…sit up a little so you don't choke. I'll help you," she said softly, moving to place her arm under his own.

"No…you can't help…you could hurt the future baby," Artie murmured, trying to prop himself up. "I can do it."

He struggled for a moment, before managing to sit himself up enough so that he probably wouldn't choke on the water. Ordinarily he would have protested, but in his current state he allowed Quinn to place the pills in his mouth before she held the water bottle to his lips, putting the cap back on and tossing it aside before she gently helped him lie back down. She moved down the bed, grabbing a couple of extra pillows from the chest at the bottom, before moving back to him.

"Tell me what to do to make it better," she said softly, frowning as she watched him trying to get comfortable.

"You can lie back down…for the future baby," Artie whispered, trying to shift himself around, realizing pretty quickly that he'd also started having spasms in his leg. "I'm fine."

Wordlessly, Quinn moved to his leg, gently massaging the trembling muscles, as she watched him continue to try and get comfortable. She prayed that the medication would kick in quickly, so that he'd be able to get some rest.

"You should be sleeping…the future baby," Artie murmured. "I've been thinking about it so much…didn't want to jinx it by talking about it…though," he went on, bringing his hand to his back.

"Shhh, the future baby is fine," Quinn said, softly, continuing to work on his leg. "Babe, I wish you'd talked about it, instead of stressing out about it. That's what's going on here, isn't it?" she asked, frowning when he nodded, biting his lip.

"I don't want you to be disappointed, and I just…need it to work," Artie whispered, feeling the medication starting to kick in. "I thought if we talked about it that might make it…worse, somehow."

"Why would you think that?" Quinn asked, gently lifting his leg and placing a pillow underneath it, before moving to his side, her hand going to his back as she gently massaged his still-spasming muscles, feeling that the spasms were a little less than they had been when she woke up.

"I don't know," Artie admitted, trying to roll himself a little closer to her, stopping when his back protested. "I'm sorry for waking you."

"Shhh, never apologize for that," Quinn murmured, moving a little to wrap her arm around him, bringing his head to her shoulder as her other hand still worked on his back. "It feels like the pills are kicking in. Does it hurt less now?"

Artie just nodded, closing his eyes as he tried to relax against her, held in her arms. His last thought before he drifted off to a drugged slumber was that the roles should have been reversed…he should have been holding her while she drifted off to sleep.

Quinn continued to gently hold Artie, rubbing his back, until his breathing evened out and she could tell he was asleep. She watched him for a little bit, a couple of stray tears running down her cheeks as she thought about the amount of pain he must have been in for him to even admit that he was hurting.

She glanced over at the clock, noticing that it was almost 4am. With the amount of medication he'd taken, there wasn't a hope that he would wake up and be able to think coherently to drive or go to work, she realized, as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. He would just have to take a sick day.

* * *

><p>"Quinn?" Artie called out, once he'd realized that he was facing away from the clock, and Quinn's side of the bed was empty. "Are you here?" he asked, trying to roll himself over to see what time it was, before realizing that there were so many pillows everywhere that he couldn't just move.<p>

"I'm here," Quinn's voice rang out behind him, as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, passing him his glasses with her other hand. "I just got back from dropping off Avery."

"What?" Artie asked, his eyes widening. "What time is it? I have to go to work."

"I called you in sick," Quinn explained, as she gently removed a couple of the pillows behind Artie's back, so that he could move around a little more. "Jack said not to worry about it, and that he'll see you tomorrow," she went on, gently placing a hand on his back. "How are you feeling?"

"Quinn, I can't be sick…we need the money," Artie protested, trying to move but finding that he just felt so, so heavy. "I have to get up."

"Shhh, Jack said not to worry," she assured him, leaning down and kissing him twice. "One of those was from Avery," she added, smiling a little. "She made me promise I'd give you her kiss as soon as you woke up."

"She didn't…see this, did she?" Artie asked, frowning as he tried again to move around. "She shouldn't have to."

"I just told her that you didn't have to work today and were sleeping in," Quinn said, reaching over and stroking the hair from his forehead. "Now…how are you feeling?"

"Like I took too much medication and haven't quite slept it off yet," Artie admitted, his cheeks flushing slightly. "But way better than last night."

"Why don't you go back to sleep for a little while longer, while I make you some breakfast?" she offered, leaning over and kissing him again. "I won't take no for an answer."

"Oh…then, yes," Artie said, yawning a little. "I think I'll do that."

Quinn waited for a moment until he'd drifted off, before going to the kitchen to make him something to eat.

* * *

><p>"I should go to work for the afternoon," Artie muttered, once he was a little more awake and had eaten some of the breakfast Quinn had made him, which she'd insisted on serving to him in bed. "Don't you think?"<p>

"I asked Jack if you should do that, and he said to take the day off," Quinn said, reaching over and stealing a piece of bacon from his plate. "I think you should just rest."

"Quinn…it was just some spasms, not that different from the ten thousand other ones I've had…I'm fine," Artie insisted, looking over at her.

"I know," Quinn answered him, reaching out and taking his hand. "I just don't like it when you have them…when you're in pain like that," she added, kissing his hand.

"I know," Artie said, smiling as he looked at their hands. "But I promise…I'm almost as good as new, and would really like to get out of bed and stay out of bed for a bit now."

"Only if you promise to take it easy for the rest of the day," Quinn said, leaning over and kissing him again. "I want to do a bit of cleaning, so you could…supervise?"

"You shouldn't," Artie murmured, his other hand moving until it gently rested on her abdomen. "Why don't you let me clean, and you can supervise?"

Quinn shook her head, grinning.

"I don't think so, sir. I guess neither of us is cleaning then. It's almost time to pick up Avery…do you want to come with me?"

Artie agreed, and, after he was out of bed and semi-presentable, the two of them headed to the elementary school to pick up their daughter.

* * *

><p>"Well, I…didn't quite make it to work today," Artie admitted to his mother that evening on the phone, when she asked about his work day. "I called in sick. Or…Quinn called me in sick, actually."<p>

"Sweetie, are you ok?" Beth's concerned tone filled the phone.

"What? Of course…I was just having some minor spasms in the night, and took something later than I should have, and then couldn't wake up," Artie insisted, cursing himself for even mentioning it. Now she would worry about it, when there was nothing to worry about.

"Well, I'm glad she called you in sick, so you could rest," Beth answered him. "But it's better now?"

"Yeah…it's all good," Artie said. "But I really wish she hadn't done that…I have to work, Mom. Especially if she's pregnant. I can't afford not to."

"Sweetie, that's what sick time is for," Beth said gently, knowing that answer wouldn't satisfy him. "Sometimes it's just necessary."

"Mom, I used up all my sick time weeks ago…Jack has just been giving me more and more as I need it, but I really need to not use any more sick days for a while. I can't. I need to support my family, and I need to not be viewed as weak or damaged if I'm going to have a career."

"Oh, Honey, I'm sure no one views you that way," Beth said, frowning as she thought about what he had said. "And don't you think it's better for you to take a day here and there than to not and have it all build up and put you out of commission for a longer time?"

"I know," Artie muttered, sighing. "I just…need to be able to take care of my family, and things like this make me feel like I'm not doing a very good job."

"You're doing a wonderful job, Sweetie," Beth assured him. "Where's Quinn?" she wondered aloud, realizing that Artie would never have said these things if Quinn had been in the room.

"She's helping Avery with her bath," Artie replied. "They thought I should rest on the couch while they took care of that, so here I am."

"They just want to make sure you're feeling alright," Beth said, as she thought about her son. "They worry about you. Just like I worry about you."

"But there's nothing to worry about, and I really wish people wouldn't," Artie muttered, hoping that she hadn't heard what he had said, regretting it as soon as the words had left his mouth.

"Well, we wish you would stop acting like you're supposed to be invincible," Beth cut in, pointedly. "We all love you and care about you, Sweetie. That's why we act the way we do," she added, her tone softening.

"I know that, Mom," Artie said quietly, shifting around a little on the couch. "I'm just-" he was cut off by Avery and Bailey running into the room. "Oh, looks like Avery is done. Do you want to say goodnight to her?"

Beth agreed, and after she'd said goodnight to her granddaughter, she said goodnight to her son, informing them that they could carry on the conversation the next day, before he said he loved her and hung up the phone.

"Daddy, if I go get a book, can you read me a story before bed?" Avery asked, standing over him, pulling up the blanket she'd covered him with. "I want you to."

"I can come read it to you in your room," Artie said, sitting himself up slightly. "I just need a minute."

"But Daddy, I want you to lie down," Avery protested.

Artie wouldn't take that for an answer, however, and before long the two of them were in Avery's room, Artie reading her a story. Quinn stuck her head into the room, smiling a little when she saw them, and before long, Avery was asleep.

"Now it's time for you to get into bed and do the same," Quinn whispered into Artie's ear, once he had tucked Avery in one more time.

"Quinn, it's 8:00," Artie said, once they were in the hallway. "I'm not going to bed yet."

"Oh, no, you are," Quinn murmured into his ear. "There's a special surprise in it for you if you do."

"Oh, in that case…goodnight!" Artie answered her, chuckling as the two of them headed to the bedroom.

**A/N: Another chapter down! The next few are mostly planned out, so I will keep writing and posting as much and as quickly as I can! **


	29. Chapter 29

The next few days after they'd had the procedure done all melted into one, for everyone. Not only were Quinn and Artie waiting (im)patiently to find out whether or not Quinn was pregnant, but so were their families.

A couple of days after they'd had the embryos put into Quinn, Artie had come home with a bag containing no less than twelve different pregnancy tests of all different brands, because he thought they should have a variety of them. The gesture had made Quinn laugh, but she'd also been touched, and slightly apprehensive. What if it didn't work again?

Artie had researched extensively, and the first day he thought a pregnancy test might show something, he'd pressed one into Quinn's hands, insisting that they should try.

The time it took for the test to process seemed like forever, and when they looked at it when the timer beeped, Artie frowned slightly.

"Well…it's still early, so maybe we're just TOO early. Right?" he asked, looking up at Quinn. "You don't feel like it didn't work? There are no…signs that it didn't work?"

"No, and no," Quinn said, smiling a little as she looked at him. "We are still really early, but I don't feel any different. The doctor said it could be a little bit before we can find out, but that a blood test might be more accurate."

"I think you should go for one tomorrow," Artie suggested, shifting a little. "What do you think?"

"Well…I kind of wanted us to find out when it was just us…" Quinn trailed off, thinking about it. "Can we wait a few more days? We can keep trying the pregnancy test, and then if-when," she corrected herself, her smile widening, "one shows a positive, then I'll go in."

"Can that be tomorrow?" Artie asked, looping his arm around her waist. "I can't wait anymore."

"You sound like Avery when she's waiting for you to get home from work," Quinn chuckled, leaning down and kissing him. "We have to be patient."

"I am patient," Artie insisted, grinning up at her. "I just want everything…now."

"Well, I can't give you that right now, but why don't we cuddle for a bit before Avery wakes up?" Quinn said, looking at him seductively. "What do you think?"

"I think yes," Artie said, pulling into his lap and making her giggle and swat his arm. "I need it, immediately."

* * *

><p>Over the next few days, Artie kept insisting they try another pregnancy test, and then another, and then another, and the results kept coming back negative.<p>

Quinn finally suggested that they should wait a few more days before trying again. She didn't feel any different one way or the other, but she thought waiting might make something change.

She tried her best to keep Artie occupied in the mornings and evenings, suggesting activities for the whole family to do, and activities for him to do with Avery. A couple of times, they went out for dinner, once to his parents' house, and once to Puck and Rachel's, but there was only so much that she could do.

On Friday night, Avery was having a sleepover with Judy, and Quinn had suggested to Artie that they have a Star Wars marathon night, hoping that her success in distracting him would continue.

They were halfway through The Empire Strikes Back, when Artie pressed the pause button, turning slightly to look at her.

"I think we should do another pregnancy test, right now," he said, reaching out and taking her hand. "I feel like now is the right time."

"I thought we were going to wait a few days?" Quinn asked, leaning her head against him. "Why do you feel like now is the right time?"

"I just think it is," Artie answered her, leaning his head against hers. "There are some pretty fancy tests still in that bag…I think we should go in the bedroom right now and see what happens."

"Well," Quinn said, thinking about it for a moment. "Ok. But I still don't feel different, so if it's negative we'll just try again in a few days. Ok?"

"Ok," Artie agreed, nodding. "Let's get this show on the road.

* * *

><p>"We shouldn't look at it," Artie said, staring at the pregnancy test sitting on the counter. "Maybe it's like a pot…if we watch it, it's never going to…boil," he added, moving back from the counter. "I set the timer. We should give it some alone time."<p>

"Artie," Quinn said, laughing a little as she moved closer to him. "It's a pregnancy test…not a pot, or something that needs alone time. But ok, come into the bedroom and help me pick out what to wear to bed," she added, grinning at him. "I'll give you a few different options to choose from."

"Woman, you really know how to distract a guy," Artie chuckled, giving the pregnancy test one final look before leaving the bathroom.

Once they were in the bedroom, Quinn held up a selection of nighties for Artie, describing the merits of each one. He was just about to make his choice, when the timer beeped.

"It's time," Artie said, looking at her. "Are you ready?"

"Artie…we've done this how many times lately? Are you nervous?" Quinn asked, smiling a little as she looked at him. "What's different this time?"

"It just feels like this time is going to be different," Artie said, his voice quiet. "It has to be."

"Well, we won't know if we don't go in," Quinn murmured, leaning down and kissing him, before plopping herself into his lap. "Let's go."

Artie took the two of them into the bathroom, stopping short of the counter.

"You just look at it," he said, gesturing to her. "I can't. And then you can tell me."

"Artie…" Quinn trailed off, biting back a grin as he pulled off his glasses, emphasizing the fact that he wouldn't be able to see it.

She reached for the pregnancy test, looking at it for a moment, not saying anything.

"It's negative…isn't it?" Artie asked quietly, still holding his glasses, squinting at her face. "Quinn?"

"Artie…" she trailed off again, for the second time in a few short minutes. "I think you'd better put on your glasses," she murmured, after a second, trying not to let her voice give the results away.

Artie waited a moment longer, before putting his glasses back on.

"Now…look," Quinn said, holding the test in front of his face.

"Wait…" Artie said, looking at it for a moment, then looking at her, then grabbing the package from the counter and reading it, and then looking back at her. "Does this mean…"

Quinn nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"Artie, we're pregnant!" she exclaimed, her voice dissolving into a cross between a sob and a laugh near the end of the statement. "It worked! We're going to have a baby."

"Oh my God," Artie whispered, his eyes filling with tears as he stared at her. "It worked."

"It did," Quinn whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," Artie said, his voice louder as he leaned in for a kiss. "I'm so happy right now."

"Me too," Quinn murmured, before kissing him back, and then wiping a couple of tears from his cheeks.

"We should go lie down…for the baby," Artie suggested, his arms tightening around her. "Just to be safe. And we should go for a blood test tomorrow."

Quinn agreed to lie down, even though she didn't think it was necessary, and pointed out that the doctor's office was closed on the weekend, so they would have to wait until Monday, which Artie wasn't happy about, but he agreed.

* * *

><p>"I feel like climbing up on the roof and shouting about this for everyone to hear, but I kind of want to keep it just for us…at least until after the blood test," Artie said, later, as they laid together in bed, his arms around her. "Is that ok?"<p>

Quinn nodded, smiling up at him.

"I kind of like it when we have secrets from the world," she murmured. "And plus…I don't really feel like climbing up on the roof to get you down," she added, her tone light and happy.

"Um…you better not be climbing on the roof," Artie said, raising an eyebrow. "If I manage to get up there, you can call the fire department to get me down."

"I don't think they'd appreciate that call," Quinn giggled, placing her hand in the centre of his chest. "You better stay down here with me."

"Fiiiiine," Artie answered her, pretending to roll his eyes. "Always making me be…safe, and stuff."

"What would Avery say if she saw you on the roof?!" Quinn wondered aloud, laughing. "She'd think you'd gone crazy."

"Actually…she'd think I've finally realized the full extent of my superhero powers and flew up there," Artie said, trying to keep a straight face. "Or that it was some kind of miracle."

"True," Quinn murmured, leaning up and kissing along his jaw. "Well, I already think you've realized the full extent of your superhero powers," she added, grinning. "And we've already had our miracle for today, so you'd better just stay on the ground."

"You know I'll do anything for you if you ask me to," he said softly, pulling her a little closer. "And now I think you should sleep…for the baby."

"Artie, I can't just sleep for the next nine months for the baby," Quinn whispered, biting her lip. "But I can do that for you right now," she added, yawning a little.

Once she was asleep, Artie watched her for a little bit, thinking about the fact that there was now a new little life growing inside of her. Just thinking about it made him grin almost uncontrollably, but eventually he was able to fall asleep too. Things were definitely looking up.

* * *

><p>The rest of the weekend flew by in a flurry of activity. Not telling anyone that they'd had a positive pregnancy test result was harder than either Artie or Quinn had anticipated, but they managed to keep the information to themselves.<p>

On Monday, Artie went to work early so that he could leave early, explaining to Jack that they had an appointment, but not giving much more information than that.

After work, he picked up Quinn, and the two of them went to the doctor while Avery went over to Ariel's house for a play date. Shortly after they arrived at the clinic, Quinn had blood drawn, and then all that was left was for the doctor to speak with them.

"Pregnancy tests are pretty accurate…right?" Artie asked her quietly, leaning over to talk into her ear. Suddenly, now that they were there, he was having doubts about the whole thing. What if it had just shown positive and they weren't actually pregnant?

"Artie, yes, they are," Quinn assured him, reaching over and resting her hand on his arm. She wasn't entirely sure how accurate they were herself, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

Before he could answer her, the doctor came in, smiling at them both.

"We are actually pregnant, right?" Artie blurted out, before the doctor was even sitting down, causing both Quinn and Dr. Scott to laugh.

"Well…you're not, but Quinn is," the doctor answered him, a big smile on his face. "Congratulations!"

Quinn and Artie accepted the doctor's congratulations and chatted with him for a few minutes, before heading out to the van.

"How are we going to tell people?" Quinn asked, once she was sitting in the passenger seat. "We should have a family dinner tomorrow," she added, while he got himself situated in the driver's seat. "What do you think?"

"I think that's a really good idea," Artie agreed, nodding as he started the van. "Michael is in town for a few days too, so the timing couldn't be better. What should we make?"

"I think we can plan the menu when we get home, and I can go shopping tomorrow…right now we should go pick up the princess, though. She'll be wondering where we are if we aren't there by…four five five o'clock," Quinn said, laughing.

"You're right," Artie said, nodding as he threw the van into reverse. "We'd better go."

* * *

><p>Once they'd picked up Avery, they picked up some Chinese food and headed home. After eating, Avery announced that she was going to go play in her room for a little while, and Quinn and Artie took that opportunity to both discuss what would be for dinner the next night and place a few phone calls, confirming that everyone was able to attend, which they were.<p>

Artie had suggested that they not mention to anyone who all would be there, since it might tip them off as to what was going on if they knew everyone would be there, and Quinn agreed, pointing out that he was probably right, although they did invite both is parents and her mom over for dinner from time to time.

They hadn't yet discussed when or how they would tell Avery, something Artie brought up after he'd told Quinn he'd rather have a roast than fish for dinner the following night.

"I feel like we should tell her when it's just us and her, but at the same time she needs to know before dinner tomorrow, or she'll be confused," Artie said, shifting slightly as Quinn dug around in the fridge, making a shopping list. "Do you think she can keep it a secret until tomorrow night if we tell her now?" he asked, enjoying the view from his place a few feet away as Quinn bent down to reach into the vegetable drawer.

"She's pretty good with secrets," Quinn said, straightening up, a smirk spreading across her face as she caught him watching her. "I think it's probably pretty safe to tell her and-"

She was cut off, by Avery running into the kitchen.

"Daddy, I had an accident," the little girl said, approaching Artie and holding out her skirt, which was sporting a rather large purple spot. "I was colouring, and I put the purple one down and it did this," she said, showing it to him. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Artie asked, patting his lap for her to climb onto it. "There's nothing to be sorry about…I think Mommy can probably get this out," he said, wrapping his arm around her, thinking briefly about how it was fortunate that they only bought her felt pens that were easily washable. "Right, Mommy?"

"I should be able to," Quinn said, coming over to talk to them, sitting down at the counter and studying the purple blotch. "Are you done colouring?"

Avery nodded, holding out the picture she was clutching to Quinn.

"I made this for you," she said, as Quinn took the picture from her daughter and looked at the pink and purple kitten on the page.

"Wow, it's really nice," Quinn smiled, standing up. "I'm going to put it on the fridge," she went on, walking over and putting the picture on the fridge, holding it in place with a fridge magnet shaped like a dinosaur.

Artie and Quinn exchanged a glance, and Artie nodded, indicating that it was ok for them to talk to Avery about the fact that Quinn was pregnant. He still wasn't 100% sure that she'd be able to keep it a secret until the following evening, but his feeling that they should tell her before everyone else outweighed that.

"We have a secret to tell you," he said to Avery, as she shifted around on his lap, resting her head against him once she was comfortable. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Do you promise?"

"I promise, Daddy," Avery said, reaching up and flattening down his hair. "I'm really good at keeping secrets."

"I know you are, Princess," Artie grinned, unlocking his brakes. "I think we should go out into the living room," he suggested, nodding to Quinn.

The three of them headed to the living room, and soon they were on the couch, Avery between them and Bailey at their feet.

"Can you tell me the secret now?" Avery asked, looking between them. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Well…what's something you've really been wanting and keep asking for?" Quinn asked, glancing over at their daughter, trying to figure out how to phrase what they were telling her.

"A new big bed for me and Bailey?" Avery asked, reaching down and petting Bailey. "So that we can give my bed to my new baby brother or sister when I get one. Are you getting me a new bed?"

"Well…I think we can get you a new bed, so that we can give your bed to your new baby brother or sister," Artie said, exchanging a smile with Quinn. "But that wasn't the surprise."

"Then what is it?" Avery asked, looking between the two of them. "I want to know!"

"In a few months…you're going to have a new baby brother or sister," Quinn explained, smiling at their daughter. "I'm going to have a baby."

"WHAT?!" Avery yelled, jumping up, tripping over Bailey and almost falling onto the coffee table, before Artie leaned forward to grab her, pulling her into his lap. "MY VERY OWN BABY BROTHER OR SISTER?!" she asked, her eyes wide. "Oh, sorry, Daddy…I yelled in your ear."

"It's ok, Princess," Artie said, kissing her on the top of her head. "I know you're excited."

"This is the best day ever!" Avery gushed, jumping across the couch to Quinn, throwing her arms around her. "But why is it a secret?" she asked, thinking about it for a moment.

"It's just a secret until tomorrow," Quinn explained, as Avery stretched out across her lap. "We're going to have Grandma, and Grandma and Grandpa, and Uncle Michael and Aunty Linds over for dinner so that we can tell them, but it's important that you keep it a secret until after we tell them. Can you do that?"

"I promise I can," Avery said, nodding for extra emphasis. "Are we having a party tomorrow night?"

"Well, it's just dinner, but we can call it a party if you want to," Artie suggested, which made Avery's grin widen even more than it already had.

"Can I make decorations?" the little girl asked, looking between the two of them. "Pink ones?"

"Sure," Quinn agreed, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "But right now I think it's almost time for bed. Do you think you're going to be able to sleep?"

"Can I stay awake for a little while longer?" Avery asked, looking at Quinn. "Where is the baby? When Bobby got a new brother, he said that he was in there," she went on, pointing to Quinn's stomach. "Is that where my new baby brother or sister is too?"

"I think that would be ok," Artie said, exchanging a glance, wondering if they'd somehow walked into the "where do babies come from" conversation with their six year old. He wasn't really sure how to answer the rest of her question, so he discreetly motioned to Quinn, hoping that she would handle it.

"Yes, that's where your new baby sister or brother is," Quinn said, simply, hoping that Avery would accept her answer without asking a bunch more questions.

"Is your tummy going to get big like Bobby's mommy's did? Yours was like that before you had me too…I saw pictures, right?" Avery enquired, putting her hand on Quinn's stomach. "It got really big, and then there was a baby!"

"That's right," Quinn said, smiling down at Avery. "Exciting, huh?"

"Yes!" Avery said, clapping her hands, before suddenly stopping. "Mommy, do you think the baby can hear me?" she asked, looking at Quinn, before looking over at Artie. "Daddy, come closer! Maybe the baby wants to hear you, too."

Artie shifted himself carefully along the couch until he was right beside Quinn, looping his arm around behind her, both to get closer and for some extra support, while Quinn answered Avery's question.

"I think probably not yet, but soon," Quinn said, smiling as Artie's arm fell into place around her shoulders.

"I think the baby can hear me now," Avery said, moving closer to Quinn's stomach. "Hi, new baby! I'm your sister!" she whispered, gently rubbing her hand across Quinn's stomach.

The gesture made Quinn and Artie smile, as they exchanged a glance, Quinn's eyes filling with tears. A small voice in the back of his mind reminded Artie of his thoughts about Avery being jealous a few days earlier, but he pushed those thoughts aside. There would be plenty of time to think about that later.

"Can I have a sleepover in your room?" Avery asked, pulling Artie away from his thoughts. "Please?"

"I think we can arrange that," Artie agreed, nodding. "But only if we get you into bed in the next five minutes. Otherwise…it'll be too late!" he added, prompting a laugh from both Avery and Quinn.

"Ok, Daddy," Avery said, carefully climbing down from Quinn's lap. "I'm going to go to the bathroom, and then I'm coming to get in bed," she added, before running out of the room.

"Well…that went well," Artie said, leaning over and kissing Quinn's neck. "Don't you think?"

"I agree," Quinn murmured, tilting her head slightly as he kissed her. "But now, we'd better get to the bedroom…otherwise it'll be too late," she added, grinning at him.

**A/N: I know a lot of you have been waiting for this, and I hope it didn't disappoint! Please provide your feedback in the form of a review…they make me happy!**


	30. Chapter 30

Quinn could barely contain her happiness as she prepared for dinner the day after they'd received confirmation that they were pregnant. It had been difficult to see Artie leave for work that morning, when all she wanted to do was be with him and talk about everything that would be going on in their lives, but she knew that she needed to be patient.

They'd invited everyone over…Artie's parents, her mom, and of course Michael and Linds, and everyone would be there soon.

While Avery and Artie put up some little decorations Avery had made in the living room, Quinn stood in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and eavesdropping on the conversation going on between the two of them in the living room.

"Daddy, I think we need a ladder for me to go on," Avery's voice rang out, seconds after something crashed to the floor in the living room.

She couldn't quite make out what Artie had replied, but seconds later, she peeked around the corner into the living room, laughing a little at what she saw.

Artie was in the middle of the room, what she suspected to be the handle of their broom in his hands as he attempted to get one of Avery's decorations to stay taped to the wall. In order to prevent her from giving away what the evening was about, they'd set some guidelines for the decorations, and Avery had settled on making huge, brightly-coloured flowers with Quinn when she came home from school that day. No one was really sure how they'd be displayed, and Quinn had suggested laying them on the coffee table and end tables, but clearly that hadn't been enough for Avery…or for Artie, who couldn't stand to not be able to do whatever Avery wanted him to do.

"Daddy, it stayed!" Avery yelled, looking up at the wall to where one of their flowers was now plastered, off-centered and crooked. "You're the best flower hanger ever!" she continued, throwing her arms around Artie's neck.

Quinn smiled, watching for a moment longer, before sneaking away, unseen by either of them.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, everyone had arrived for dinner, and they were seated around the large dining room table, into which Steve and Michael had inserted the two middle pieces that extended it so that there was space for everyone.<p>

"We're starting a couple of really big projects in the next couple of weeks…the crew is almost done setting up the scaffolding, and then we'll be able to get going on one of them," Artie explained, in response to his dad's question about what was going on at work. "Everyone's pretty excited…the exhibit is going to be amazing."

"And Daddy said I can watch one day when they're building it!" Avery piped up, her excitement evident in her voice. "It's going to be fun!"

"It sure sounds like it," Beth said, smiling between her granddaughter and her son.

The conversation continued for a while, until everyone was finished eating, after which Beth, Judy, and Linds said they would help clean up. Everyone else headed to the living room, where Avery promptly climbed up into Artie's lap, whispering into his ear.

"Daddy, is it almost time for the surprise?" she asked, her arms holding tightly around his neck. "I think it should be now."

"Almost, Princess," he whispered back, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Can you wait a few more minutes?"

Avery nodded, placing a kiss on his cheek, before climbing down and going over to her grandpa.

"Grandpa, look at my flowers," she said, pointing to one of the brightly-coloured pieces of paper lying on the coffee table. "Mommy and I made them after school!"

"Those are great!" Steve said, picking up the little girl and holding her in his lap. "Did you have fun at school?"

"I always do!" she giggled, reaching up to straighten Steve's glasses. "I like learning things at school…it's fun."

"I don't think I need to ask where she got that from," Michael laughed, from his place on the couch across from Artie. "Only your daughter would say something like that," he added, looking over at Artie, throwing up his hands when his brother glared at him slightly. "What? It's not a bad thing!"

Before Artie could reply, everyone else entered the room, Quinn and Judy carrying a couple of trays of various deserts, which they set down on opposite ends of the coffee table.

Once everyone was seated, Avery jumped from Steve's lap, hurrying over to Artie.

"Daddy, it's time now," she said, urgently, her voice quiet but loud enough that everyone could hear.

"Time for what?" Linds asked, curiosity getting the better of her before she could refrain from asking the question.

Quinn and Artie exchanged a glance, both nodding subtly, before Artie cleared his throat, trying to decide what exactly to say.

"Well, we're…going to be adding another little Abrams to this place in about nine months," he said, after a moment. "Quinn's pregnant."

"I'm getting a baby brother or sister!" Avery exclaimed, before anyone even had a chance to react. "The baby is in there," she added, pointing at Quinn's midsection.

A split second later, everyone was talking at once, congratulating Quinn and Artie, crying (in the case of Beth, Judy, and Linds), hugging, and talking about how happy they were for them.

"I knew it would work this time," Beth whispered into her son's ear, her arms wrapped tightly around him, as he returned her embrace. "Sweetie, I'm so happy for you."

Artie just smiled, his eyes filling slightly with tears, which he hoped no one would see.

* * *

><p>Much to everyone's surprise, it was Steve whom Avery requested to put her to bed when the time came. It wasn't that he didn't spend much time doing things with his granddaughter…but generally when given a choice, Avery picked Quinn, Artie, or Aunty Linds.<p>

After Avery had made the rounds kissing everyone goodnight, they all watched as the two of them headed down the hall, Avery's tiny hand in Steve's large one, as she led him to her room.

"Grandpa," the little girl said, once she had finished getting changed and come back from the bathroom. "Mommy and Daddy said I could get a new big bed so the baby can have my little one," she went on, pointing to the bed as she handed Steve the book she wanted him to read her. "Can you help? Maybe you and me can put my new bed in here to surprise them!"

Steve laughed as he took the book from his granddaughter, sitting down in the chair beside her bed as she crawled under the covers.

"Well…I think there's still some time for us to figure out what we can do with that," he said, as Avery snuggled under her blankets, a stuffed bear in her arms. "But I think I can help."

"Yay!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I'm really excited!"

"I know you are," Steve said, smiling at Avery. "Do you want me to read this to you now?"

"Yes please," she answered, nodding.

Steve read the book to her, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek when he was done, before smoothing her blankets.

"Do you think Mommy and Daddy will still love me when the baby is here?" her little voice asked, her eyes drooping, indicating that sleep was imminent.

The question took Steve off guard, as he moved over to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Of course they will," he assured her, wondering where the question had suddenly come from. "They will always love you."

"Did you still love Daddy when you and Grandma got Uncle Michael?" she asked, sitting up a little. "Was Daddy excited?"

"Of course we did," Steve said, smiling at her. "And yes...he was very excited. Just like you're very excited."

"I can still come have sleepovers at your house after the baby is here, right?" Avery asked, hugging Steve's arm. "I like it when I come to your house for sleepovers."

"I don't see why not," Steve replied, leaning down and kissing the top of her head. "We like it when you come over too, so we will make sure that you keep doing that. You should sleep now, ok? Maybe you can come stay over with us on the weekend, if you want to."

"I want to," Avery yawned, giving Steve's arm a final squeeze, before lying back down. "I love you, Grandpa."

"I love you too, Avery," Steve said softly, watching as her eyes fell closed. He made a mental note to talk to Quinn and Artie about parts of his conversation with Avery, just to make sure that everyone was on the same page with regards to the bed. The rest of the conversation would be kept between grandfather and granddaughter.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the living room, conversation centered around Quinn being pregnant, and Linds' suggestion that the baby be named after her, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl.<p>

"There's a guy at work whose name is Lindsay," she insisted, nodding for emphasis. "But he goes by his middle name…I heard him say to someone it was a horrible 'guy name'," she went on, using finger quotes, "so maybe that's not the best idea."

"I think it's a little early to be talking names," Artie pointed out, smiling over at Quinn. "We're barely pregnant…the baby is going to have some sort of identity crisis if he or she ever finds out we discussed names this early in the game!"

Everyone laughed, just as Steve entered the room.

"I think I prefer applause to laughter when I walk into a room," he joked, sitting down on the couch between his sons. "But a salute would also be acceptable."

"Right," Michael said, laughing. "We'll make sure we get right on that."

"Good," Steve said, chuckling slightly. "Oh, by the way," he added, turning to Artie and Quinn. "Avery asked if I'd help her get a big bed so the baby can have hers…I told her we'd figure something out. I hope you guys have discussed this in detail like she said you have, or I'm going to have some serious explaining to do," he laughed.

"She just wants a bigger bed so there's more room for her, Bailey, and me in there," Artie chuckled, shifting himself. "But yeah…we did discuss that, and Quinn and I did tell her that she can get a different bed."

"Oh, good," Steve said, laughing. "I was worried I'd gotten myself into trouble."

"I'm pretty sure grandparents don't get into trouble," Judy said, promoting a round of laughter, after which everyone agreed.

* * *

><p>The conversation continued for a while longer, until it was time for everyone to go home. After a round of goodbye hugs and kisses, the Abrams clan and Judy left, leaving Quinn and Artie alone as they headed to their bedroom.<p>

"Well…I think that went well," Artie said, hauling himself into bed once he'd finished in the bathroom. "This whole thing feels a little more real now, and less like something we've been thinking about for so long without having it actually happen."

"I know," Quinn murmured, getting onto the bed and crawling over to him, interrupting him while he tried to get comfortable in bed to place a kiss on his lips. "Sorry…you were taking too long getting yourself situated and I needed a kiss," she added, grinning a little, before kissing him again. "Ok…I'll stop now. Finish getting comfortable, so we can continue this."

"I'm comfortable," Artie insisted, despite the fact that his right leg was way off to the side and not anywhere near where it should have been. "We can continue right now."

Quinn laughed, shaking her head as she gestured to his leg, waiting patiently while he reached down to move it into position beside his left one.

"Are you comfortable?" Quinn asked, stretching out next to him, her arm loosely over his stomach. She could feel him trying to shift without making that obvious beneath her arm, which prompted her to sit up a little, looking at him. "Babe?"

When Quinn sat up, Artie moved a little more, trying to figure out if lying on his back was his best option. He realized very quickly that it wasn't.

"I think I need to be facing you," he answered her, propping himself up a little on one arm, beginning the process of rolling onto his side. "More comfortable, and better access for us to continue," he added, grinning a little and hoping that masked the discomfort he was feeling.

"More comfortable is always good," Quinn said, softly, as she reached down to help him place a pillow between his knees. "And so is better access," she added, leaning in for a kiss when he looked like he was good to go.

She wrapped her arms around him, frowning slightly as she felt the tightness in his back muscles when her hand landed there. She gently started rubbing his back, hoping that her kisses would distract him from the fact that she was trying to make him feel better…which worked for a few minutes, before he was onto her.

"I know what you're doing back there," he murmured in between kisses. "You're not quite far enough down if you didn't want me to feel it," he added, smiling a little as he looked into her eyes. "You have magic hands…have I told you that lately?"

Quinn smiled back at him, placing a kiss on his forehead as her hand continued to gently rub small circles on his back.

"I know you love my…magic hands," she purred, moving a little closer to him as she kissed him again. "I thought maybe my kisses would distract you."

"I love everything about you," Artie whispered, before trailing kisses slowly down her neck, making Quinn shudder slightly.

"I love everything about you too," Quinn whispered back, leaning back a little to look into his eyes. "But especially your tired kisses."

"Tired kisses?" Artie asked, frowning slightly. "That bad, are they?"

Quinn giggled a little, her free hand brushing his hair from his forehead.

"No, not bad at all…but I can always tell you're tired when you kiss my neck exactly like that," she explained, grinning a little. "I think it's cute."

"I was going for hot and raw romance," Artie yawned, turning his head slightly so that he yawned into the pillow. "It's nice to know that it came off as cute and not all…hot and stuff."

"Everything you do is all hot and stuff, babe," Quinn said, kissing him. "We should sleep…and maybe continue this tomorrow. If you want to."

"I always want to," Artie replied, feeling himself relaxing as Quinn continued to rub his back. "I love you."

"I love you too, babe," Quinn murmured, kissing him a final time as his eyes started to close. "I'll see you in the morning."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this posted! I'll try to be more timely with the next update! :)**


	31. Chapter 31

The next couple of weeks flew by for everyone, although for Quinn they seemed to be flying by and moving in slow motion at the same time. Her morning sickness was much worse than it had been with Avery, and it seemed relentless.

Artie had adjusted his schedule slightly so that he could drop Avery off at school in the morning on the days Quinn wasn't able to, and between his family members and Judy there was always someone to pick her up if Quinn wasn't able to do that either. She said she was grateful that they were able to have a plan like that in place, but he knew she hated that it was even necessary in the first place.

After some discussion with Linds and his mom, who had contacted Judy, it was decided that they would take Quinn for a nice, relaxing day at the spa one Saturday. Artie wasn't sure how effective that would be in making her feel better, or how into going she would be, but decided it was worth a shot. After talking about it with everyone, they decided it would work best if it was a surprise, and that morning Ariel had come over for a play date with Avery, a short while before Beth, Judy, and Linds arrived to pick Quinn up.

Quinn's feelings were a toss-up between being happy about the surprise and miserable about having to leave the house, but after a little bit they were able to convince her to go along, leaving Artie to supervise the play date.

Once they'd left for the spa, Artie gave Avery and Ariel a snack, before asking them what they wanted to do.

"Daddy, can we go to the museum?" Avery asked, chewing on one of the carrot sticks from her plate. "I want to show Ariel all the new things!"

"I think we can arrange that," Artie nodded, shifting slightly in his chair. "What do you think, Ariel? How does that sound?"

"I like the museum," Ariel said, smiling at him. "It's nice there."

"Well then, we'd better finish up here and get going," Artie said, grinning at the two of them.

* * *

><p>After about fifteen minutes, Artie, Avery and Ariel were in the van, driving to the museum.<p>

"Daddy has a new special thing that they're building, and we get to see it!" Avery exclaimed to Ariel in the back seat as they drove along. "They have special fake walls around it so that people can't see yet because they are not done, but Daddy let me see last time. We can, right, Daddy?" she called out to Artie.

"We can," Artie replied, looking at them in the rear view mirror. "We're almost done setting it up, so it looks a lot better than it did last time you saw it," he explained, as he pulled into the parking lot at the museum, parking the van in his assigned parking spot near the door to the back entrance.

They got out of the van, stopping for a moment because Avery wanted to look at some flowers in a planter by the door, and then went inside, the two little girls entering together holding hands, while Artie followed them.

* * *

><p>After a little tour of the museum, including the exhibit Artie and his team were still working on, they ended up downstairs in Artie's office, carefully looking through some boxes of new things. Avery picked out a small trilobite, holding it up to Artie and asking what it was, before finding a smaller one and asking if it was a baby.<p>

Remembering something Jack had given him the week before, Artie rifled through his desk before pulling out a small box, which he took over to where the girls were seated at his workbench, putting it down in front of them.

"Jack said you two could look through this and pick out anything you want to take home," he explained, taking out some of the small items and spreading them out. "Do you see anything you like?"

"Daddy, it's a baby trikelobite!" Avery announced, holding one up. "And another one! Can Ariel have one and me too?"

When Artie nodded, she handed the nicer of the two trilobites to Ariel.

"You can have this one!" she said. "Do you like it? You can pick other things too! Right, Daddy?" she asked, seeking confirmation from Artie, who nodded again.

Artie watched, smiling a little as the girls talked about the other things in the box, occasionally asking Artie what they were, and selecting a couple more items each to take home. He grabbed some tissue paper, carefully wrapping them up and putting them in some little cardboard boxes for them, before putting the boxes in a bag so that Avery could carry them.

They stayed in his office for a little while longer, before he suggested they go grab a late lunch at the museum's café, a place Avery always liked to visit while she was there, even if it was just to say hi to whoever was working there.

As they ate, Avery dominated the conversation as usual, and Artie just sat back, watching the interaction between his daughter and her best friend, smiling a little as Avery periodically stopped in order to give Ariel a chance to speak.

"Did you give your triliokite a name?" Avery asked, before taking a bite of her sandwich. "I named mine Princess Daisy," she went on.

"I think mine is a boy," Ariel said, giggling a little at the name Avery had given hers. "His name is Frank, like my daddy."

"Daddy, mine is a girl, right?" Avery asked, looking over at Artie. "Did you want me to name her Princess Daddy?"

Artie bit his lip momentarily, trying to prevent himself from bursting out laughing.

"I think yours is a girl, and Princess Daisy is a great name," he said, nodding, before looking over at Ariel. "And Frank is an excellent name for a trilobite too."

"Daddy, can we go to the park before we drive Ariel home?" Avery enquired, holding the final bite of her sandwich. "It's sunny and we can play for a little while! We have to show Princess Daisy and Frank the park because it used to be their home."

The amusement Artie was feeling was almost too much, and he just nodded, a big grin on his face.

* * *

><p>After they'd gone to the park to show the trilobites their "former home" and played on the swings for a little bit, they headed to Ariel's house to drop her off, staying to chat with Frank for a little while before heading home.<p>

Artie had taken some chicken out of the freezer to thaw, but by the time they were home he had a text from Linds saying that they were taking Quinn out for dinner before delivering her back home. He debated still cooking it, until Avery asked if they could have something else, so the chicken went into the fridge for the next day, and he and Avery made waffles instead.

Once they'd eaten, the two of them cuddled up under a blanket on the couch, waiting for Quinn to get home so they could have a little family time before bed time.

* * *

><p>"Linds gave the spa the list of things they shouldn't do because they might hurt the baby or be bad for you, right?" Artie asked, that night as they cuddled together in bed. "I did a bunch of research and made sure she had all the information…Mom said she thought the spa probably knew about those things, but I wanted to make sure," he added, turning slightly and wrapping his arm around her.<p>

Quinn smiled a little, her head finding its place on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart.

"Yes…Linds gave them the list and then spent the entire afternoon supervising to make sure that they followed it," she said, running her hand down his arm. "That was such a nice surprise…and it made me feel a little less like all I do now is hang out at home throwing up."

"Good, good and good," Artie answered her, leaning his head forward and kissing the top of her head.

"Did you and the girls have a fun day?" she asked, looking up at him. "I felt a little bad leaving you alone to take care of them for the day, until your mom explained that you'd planned for them to take me to the spa long before the play date had been made," she added, smiling.

"We had a blast. Avery wanted to show Ariel what was new at the museum, and then we hung out in my office for a little while so they could look at all the new stuff Jack had brought in last week. He'd set some things aside for them to look at and choose if they wanted to take anything home. I think that was the highlight of Ariel's day…she couldn't stop talking about it when we dropped her off at home."

"Well then…it sounds like everyone had a pretty special and amazing day," Quinn murmured, moving up a little to place a kiss on his cheek. "Did you ask Ariel's parents when her surgery is?" she asked, remembering that they'd talked about asking them the next time they saw one of her parents. "And if there was anything we could do to help?"

"I did," Artie said, nodding. "Frank said it's booked for the first week after school lets out for the summer, so that she has some time to recover and still enjoys at least part of her summer. He couldn't think of anything we could do to help, but I made sure that he knew that they just need to ask if anything comes up."

"Wow, that's coming up in a couple of weeks. I guess it's good for them to get it taken care of as soon as possible, right?" Quinn commented, thinking about it. "And we'll come up with some way to help."

"Yeah, it is, and of course," he said, nodding again. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm, warm, and comfortable, and loved, and warm," Quinn murmured, wrapping her arm around him. "And tired. I feel so relaxed…I think you should send me to the spa more often," she joked, glancing up at him, trying to maintain a serious expression.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll arrange for you to go to the spa every day," Artie chuckled, gently rubbing her back. "You should try and sleep now while you're feeling so warm and relaxed," he added, pulling the blanket up over her a little more with his free hand. "And tomorrow, I'll try and do something…spa-like for you."

Quinn giggled, nestling into his side a little more. "I can't wait to see what you come up with."

"Prepare to be shocked and…well, shocked," he answered, smiling a little as he reached over to turn off the light. "Goodnight, Quinn. I love you."

"I love you too," Quinn murmured, reaching for his hand. "Goodnight, babe."

**A/N: This chapter is meant to be a slight interlude before another major arc in this story starts. I hope you enjoyed it! :)**


	32. Chapter 32

Quinn sat down on the bed in the guest room, surveying the contents of the room. They were using part of it for storage, and all those things would have to go, if it was going to be the baby's room.

She knew there was lots of space in the basement to store the boxes, and she was sure she could get either Steve or Michael to help carry them downstairs, since Artie had forbidden her from doing it herself.

He had suggested that he could help, carrying them up and down on the stair lift, something which had caused Quinn to burst out laughing as she thought about how many hours that would take. He'd agreed that it would be a little slow, but had said that he would do anything to keep her from doing it herself.

Thinking of Artie, and how he'd made her breakfast that morning before he left to take Avery to school and go to work made her smile as she pulled out her phone to see if Artie had texted her, the smile widening when she saw that he had. He always texted her from work, to let her know what was going on, and it was a big day. That morning, as he'd been getting dressed he told her that he thought that it would finally be the day when they finished setting up the exhibit he and his team had been working on for weeks. She knew that he was excited about it, because they'd redone a whole section of the museum, and she couldn't wait to see it.

Texting him back, she put her phone aside, deciding to go to the kitchen to get something to drink. As she walked through the house, Bailey at her side, she thought about how quiet it was. Soon, it wouldn't be that quiet. Soon there would be a baby to fill the silence.

But first…it would be summer vacation, and the silence would be filled by Avery. Quinn loved how excited her daughter was about life…something she'd inherited from her father. She loved watching the two of them together, especially when they didn't know that she could see them. They always had so much fun, and there was something so natural about the way the two of them were together. She wondered if the baby would have the same relationship with his or her father, deciding that of course he or she would…because of Artie, and the way he was. He would be the same with the baby as he was with Avery.

She grabbed some milk out of the fridge, pouring it into a glass, before opening the back door and heading out into the back yard, Bailey trotting ahead of her down to the lawn to grab a stick, which he brought back to her so she could throw it for him. She tossed the stick across the yard, before sitting down on one of the soft patio chairs they had on the deck, taking a couple of deep breaths and trying to push away the nausea that was threatening to make a comeback. For the first time in a few days she was actually feeling sort of alright, which was why she'd decided to take advantage of feeling good by starting to move things around to get things ready for the baby. Maybe she'd overdone it, though, she thought…although she'd barely done anything.

She knew Artie would be texting her back soon to make sure she was taking it easy, so she decided to just stay in the back yard for a little bit, getting some fresh air and enjoying the sunshine.

Checking the time, she saw that she still had a couple of hours before she needed to leave to pick up Avery…plenty of time to rest for a bit.

She sat there, thinking about how lucky they were. They were going to have a baby. Finally, after trying for so long, so many different things, something had worked and she was pregnant. She still couldn't believe it most of the time…it was like a dream. The best dream ever.

But then, she'd get sick, and she'd remember…it was real. She never complained about how horrible she was feeling, even when Artie told her it was acceptable to do so. She was pregnant, and she was happy to take whatever the pregnancy threw at her, as long as the end result was a healthy baby.

The evening before, she and Artie had been talking about whether they thought the baby would be a boy or a girl. She had agreed with Artie that it didn't matter, as long as the baby was healthy, which was true…but a small part of her was really hoping that they would have a boy. She wasn't even exactly sure why she wanted that…but she did. Maybe because she wanted to see if a son would be as much like Artie as Avery was.

She often joked that his "everything" was dominant in Avery, something that he always disputed by pointing out that Avery's mouth was a lot more like hers than it was his, and that her ears weren't as big as his, something which always made Quinn laugh.

She thought about Avery and how excited she was that she was going to be a big sister. The night before, when Quinn had been helping Avery with her bath, her daughter had announced that she thought they should probably start picking out which of her things she should give to the baby. After a couple of minutes of discussion, Quinn learned that Avery had already selected some things she thought a baby would like, including the soft pink bear she slept with.

The gesture had almost made Quinn burst into tears, a result of her raging pregnancy hormones, she decided, but she'd managed to keep it together and tell her daughter that maybe they could get the baby his or her own soft bear, so that they both have one. Avery seemed pleased with this, but said that if they couldn't do that, the baby could have hers.

She threw the stick for Bailey a few more times, before leaning back in her chair, looking up at the sky, thinking again that she couldn't believe how lucky she was…how lucky they all were.

* * *

><p>The ringing phone woke Quinn suddenly, and she realized she must have dozed off in the back yard. Checking the time as she walked inside to answer the phone, she saw that she hadn't been asleep long.<p>

Seeing the museum's number on the call display, she smiled a little, pushing the button to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Quinn, it's Jack," Artie's boss's gruff voice could be heard over the phone.

"Hi Jack," she said, wondering why Artie's boss was calling her. She suddenly started to feel a bit sick as she listened to the silence on the phone. What was going on? Why was he phoning? "Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice soft.

"There was an accident…a couple of ambulances have already left for the hospital, and Artie's going in a minute. I told him you'd meet him there."

**A/N: Please don't hate me for the cliff hanger! I'll try and get the next chapter posted in a timely manner.**

**Sorry this is so short. I hope it's clear that this chapter is meant to be the lead-in to the next major arc that will be running side by side with the pregnancy arc.**

**As always, written with lots of input from GLEEful Heart.**


	33. Chapter 33

As Quinn drove to the hospital, trying her best not to speed, a thousand thoughts ran through her mind, tears streaming down her cheeks.

After she'd finished her conversation with Jack, who hadn't given too many details as to what had happened, she called her mom, asking if she could please pick up Avery at school and just explaining that something had happened to Artie at work, before phoning Beth and Steve, who said they'd meet her at the hospital.

She wasn't even sure where to go as she parked in front of the hospital, rushing inside to the main desk, trying to explain that her husband had been one of the people brought from the museum, and that she needed to see him.

One of the receptionists on duty told her where to go, and she walked down the hall, trying to maintain her composure, to the nearest nurse's station.

"I need to see my husband," she pleaded to one of the nurses. "He was at the museum, and they said he was coming here. I need to see him," she went on, a fresh round of tears trickling down her face. "Please."

The nurse told her that she would need to wait, that someone would be with her soon. Not knowing what else to do, she just nodded, sitting down in one of the chairs in the small waiting area.

She hadn't been there for more than a couple of minutes, when she saw Beth coming down the hall. Standing up, she went over to her, throwing her arms around her mother in law as she started sobbing.

Beth just held her for a moment, leading her back over to the waiting area, trying to get her to calm down.

"They won't let me see him and they wouldn't tell me anything, and they said we would need to wait until someone came to talk to us but I need to see him right now," she sobbed, her arms still tightly around Beth. "Jack said it wasn't that bad, but they won't let me see him," she repeated, sniffling, her tears soaking through the shoulder of Beth's shirt. "He just texted me a couple of hours ago, and this can't be happening…"

"Shhh," Beth soothed, hugging Quinn, trying to calm her down. "It's ok, Sweetie. They're just doing their jobs…I'm sure they'll let us see him soon."

She looked over Quinn's shoulder, seeing Steve walking towards them. When they'd arrived at the hospital, he'd sent Beth to find Quinn while he went to find someone to see what he could find out about what happened. It had taken only a few minutes for him to find Jack, who was in the emergency room with two of his employees, both of whom were being treated for broken bones and cuts. After finding out that they'd taken Artie somewhere else to treat his injuries, Steve had received some details about what had happened, before going to find his wife and daughter in law.

"Did you find Artie?" Quinn asked, looking up at Steve as he walked over to them. "We need to see him. They have to let us see him!"

"I talked to Jack," Steve said, sitting down, looking between the two women. "He's in the emergency room with a couple of people…he said they took Artie somewhere else when they got him to the hospital, to take care of him."

"Did he say what happened?" Beth asked, as Quinn continued to quietly sob into her shoulder. She felt like crying herself, but knew that she couldn't…she had to try and keep Quinn calm.

"They were just finishing up the exhibit, and part of it came down, along with some of the scaffolding," Steve said, electing to leave out the part where the scaffolding, a piece of the exhibit, and two of the people that had been on the scaffolding had essentially fallen on top of his son.

"What?" Quinn cried, looking up from Beth's shoulder. "No. He was supposed to work at the museum because it was s-safe," she sputtered, starting to cry harder again. "It was supposed to be safe…" she trailed off, tightening her grip on Beth.

The three of them sat in relative silence for a little while longer, before they were approached by a doctor.

"Mrs. Abrams?" the doctor enquired, looking between Quinn and Beth. "I'm Dr. Schafer," he continued, when both of them nodded. "We're just running a few more tests and getting him patched up…you'll be able to see him soon," he explained, sitting down across from where Quinn and Artie's parents were seated. "We're going to need to keep him for a few days, but he will make a full recovery. There's some damage to his neck and shoulder, and he's got a bunch of cuts and a concussion, but he's in reasonable shape, all things considered."

"He can't be in reasonable shape if he's hurt…he needs his neck and shoulder," Quinn whispered, mostly to herself. She went on, louder. "I need to see him."

"You'll be able to soon," the doctor repeated. "We're just finishing up with him. Why don't you go get something to drink or some food, and then come back?" he suggested. "We should be finished by the time you get back."

"I need to just stay here and wait," Quinn protested, before the doctor excused himself. Beth and Steve spent a few minutes trying to convince her unsuccessfully, before Beth reminded her that she needed to take care of the baby. Quinn couldn't argue that, and the three of them headed off in search of something to drink and some food.

While they were gone, Quinn phoned Judy, quietly explaining what was going on, but asking her not to tell Avery, and Judy agreed, telling her daughter to keep her updated.

* * *

><p>When they returned, Steve went to speak to a nurse, who directed them to Artie's room, informing them that they had just finished up with him.<p>

Quinn stood outside the door for a moment, taking a couple of deep breaths, before looking inside. Beth and Steve had elected to give her a bit of time alone before they went in, so they went and sat down in the hallway not far from his door.

Quinn approached the bed, wondering to herself why he was attached to so many things and why one of them was beeping if it wasn't that bad. She stood next to the bed, studying him, her eyes traveling from the bandage on his right arm, to the sling cradling his left, to the brace on his neck and the bruises on his face. He didn't appear to be awake, and she wondered if he was unconscious, sleeping, or if they had given something.

"I'm here, babe," she whispered, leaning down by his ear, before gently kissing his forehead, trying not to cry. "Your mom and dad are outside too, and when you're awake my mom will bring Avery to see you," she went on, kissing him again. "But I need you to wake up before that can happen," she pleaded softly. "I love you."

She stayed with him for a few more minutes, quietly talking to him and looking for some sign of life, before Steve came to the door, seemingly to check out what shape his son was in before Beth saw him. He'd just approached the bed, when Beth entered the room too, rushing in once she had had a look at Artie.

Quinn watched as Beth gently took Artie's hand, tears streaming from her eyes…the first Quinn had seen since they'd been at the hospital. Beth leaned down, softly whispering something into Artie's ear, before gently brushing his hair from his forehead and excusing herself, going out into the hallway. Steve followed closely behind, while Quinn stayed behind, sitting down next to Artie's bed.

"He could have died," Beth whispered, as she felt Steve's arms wrap around her. "I don't understand life…" she trailed off, quietly crying as she thought about the situation. "He's already been through enough, and this is just too…I can't," she said, looking up at her husband.

"It's not like last time…he'll be fine," Steve assured her, holding her. "The doctor said he'll make a full recovery."

"But…" Beth trailed off, not sure what she wanted to say. "No, you're right. He will, and he'll be home soon, and it wasn't worse…and we should go back in. What if he wakes up?"

"Then Quinn will be there with him, and she'll come tell us he's awake," Steve said, gesturing to a chair, indicating that Beth should sit down. "We just have to be patient."

* * *

><p>Despite the fact that the doctor had told them Artie probably wouldn't be awake until the next day, Quinn insisted that she would stay with him, sleeping in the chair next to his bed, waiting for him to wake up.<p>

Beth and Steve had tried to convince her to go home and rest, but she wouldn't hear of it. Her mother also tried, telling her that Avery was already confused and couldn't understand why her mommy hadn't picked her up from school and why she couldn't go home, but Quinn asked her to please just keep Avery overnight, and turn it into something fun.

It was around 6am, and Quinn had just dozed off, when a quiet sound jolted her out of her sleep. She sat up straighter, looking at Artie, noticing that his eyes were barely open.

"Babe," she whispered, reaching out and gently touching his face. "You're awake."

Out of his drugged haze enough to know that she was talking to him, Artie uttered a soft, "Mmm," trying to smile a little at her. He wasn't exactly sure where he was, or what was going on, but it kind of smelled like the hospital, and Quinn was there. He tried to say something, the words dying on his lips before he'd even made a sound.

"Shhh," Quinn said, reaching out and gently taking his right hand, being mindful of the large bandage she knew was covering several stiches. "We're at the hospital, but you're ok," she assured him, hoping that she sounded more convincing than she felt. "I'm just going to go get the nurse, ok?" she asked quietly, taking the soft sound he made to mean it was ok.

She stepped out into the hall, walking to the nurses' station and informing the first nurse she saw that Artie was awake, before pulling out her phone and sending two quick texts, one to Beth and one to her own mother, letting them know that he was awake. Before she was back in his room, Beth had already texted back to say she would be there soon.

When she went back into Artie's room, the nurse she'd talked to had just started gently shifting him, and Quinn went over to help, stopping when she saw the look in Artie's eyes.

"The baby," he murmured, his eyes traveling to Quinn's midsection.

"The baby is fine," Quinn assured him, gently helping the nurse with a couple of pillows. The look on Artie's face indicated that he was in a great deal of pain, and she frowned, touching his face once the nurse was finished.

"I'll be back in a few minutes with some more medication," the nurse informed the two of them, before leaving the room. "Don't try and move," she cautioned Artie, looking at Quinn for confirmation that she'd keep him still, before exiting.

"What happened?" Artie murmured, looking down and trying to see the brace that was keeping his head and neck stable. "I'm ready to…leave now."

Quinn smiled a little at his statement, leaning forward and kissing his forehead, being careful to avoid the angry bruise covering half his face.

"There was an accident at work…the doctor said you have to stay here for a few days, but you'll be home soon, and Avery and I will take care of you until you're better," she said, gently adjusting the blanket over him. "Are you in pain?"

"It's not…bad," he answered her, trying to forget that his shoulder and neck felt like they were on fire. "I can't move…you sure it's not…bad?"

The soft question made Quinn feel like she either wanted to throw up or burst into tears.

"Shhh, babe," she whispered, feeling her eyes welled up with tears. "You're ok. Your arm's in a sling, and you have a brace on your neck…that's why you can't move. But you're going to be better soon."

"I thought maybe it was…worse," he murmured, feeling himself starting to drift back to sleep. "Love you…and Avery and the baby."

"We love you too, babe," Quinn answered him, gently touching his face . "You go back to sleep, and we'll talk some more when you wake up…alright?"

Artie murmured a yes, and fell asleep, just before Beth arrived.

* * *

><p>Once Quinn had updated Beth on the current state of affairs, she excused herself to place a call to Avery, telling the little girl that she'd see her soon.<p>

"Where are you?" Avery asked, her voice loud over the phone. "I want to come home with you and Daddy now."

"Sweetie, I'm…well, we're just at the hospital, because Daddy had an…accident at work," Quinn explained, deciding that she needed to tell Avery what was going on.

"What? The hospital? I need to come see Daddy right now!" Avery half-yelled. "Is he ok? Why is he at the hospital? Can Grandma bring me?"

"Shhh," Quinn said, her heart tightening with emotion. "Maybe Grandma could bring you for a little bit. I just need to check with Daddy and see if it's ok."

"Grandma will bring me…Daddy will want me to come! He's probably sad because I'm not there," Avery insisted. "Mommy, I'm putting on my shoes now, and Grandma is going to drive me now. Ok?"

"Can I talk to Grandma?" Quinn asked, pacing around the hallway. "I'll see you in a little bit, ok, Sweetie?"

"Ok, Mommy, I love you and Daddy and the baby," Avery said, before passing the phone off to Judy.

"Avery's about to head out the door without me here," Judy said, chuckling slightly as she watched her granddaughter. "You're sure it's ok for her to come?"

"I think so," Quinn said, rubbing her eyes with her free hand, her lack of sleep starting to catch up with her. "Has she been behaving?"

"Of course," Judy said, as Avery put on her coat. "As usual. I'll see you when we get there, Honey."

"Ok, Mom…thanks," Quinn said, saying goodbye to Judy before hanging up.

* * *

><p>When Judy and Avery arrived at the hospital, Judy texted Quinn, who went out to meet them, leaving Beth with Artie, who was a little more awake than he had been previously, and in a lot of pain.<p>

"Can I see Daddy now?" Avery asked, after hugging and kissing Quinn. "He's ok, right?"

"Yes, Sweetie, he's ok," Quinn assured her, wondering if Avery would still believe that when she saw him. "But he's really sore, so you have to be careful and not touch him, ok?" she added, as Avery took her hand and they started walking towards Artie's room.

"I will be careful," Avery said, nodding. "I just need to say hi to Daddy…then he will feel better!"

"He will," Quinn said, smiling a little as they entered the room.

Avery stopped, looking at her grandma and then at Artie for a moment, before approaching the bed.

"Daddy?" she whispered, when she was close enough to see him. "I came to see you so you would feel better."

"Hey, Princess," Artie murmured, thankful that the nurse had moved him onto his side, so that he could see her. "I feel better already."

"Daddy, you have purple on your face," she pointed out, looking at him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said, softly, smiling a little. "And it's just a bruise…it's ok."

"I can kiss it better," Avery insisted, moving closer. "But Mommy said I have to be really careful and not touch you," she explained. "But Daddy, I know I can make it better."

Beth picked Avery up, gently holding her so that she could kiss Artie's cheek, hoping that her son's wincing as his daughter's lips came into contact with his cheek wasn't evident to the little girl.

"That feels much better," Artie said, once Avery was standing in front of him again. "Thanks, Princess."

"Daddy, can I hold your hand?" Avery asked, studying Artie's arm. "Why do you have a big band aid? Do you have a cut?"

"Just a little one," Quinn supplied, gently putting her arm around Avery.

"You can," Artie murmured, fighting the sleep that was threatening to overtake him. "It's ok," he added, shifting his eyes to Quinn.

Avery gently reached out, placing her hand in Artie's, being careful not to move his arm at all as she did so.

The last thing Artie saw before he drifted off to sleep was Avery's face, smiling at him.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Cowritten with GLEEful Heart, as usual!**

**Also, as I always say…I see all of you in my stats, so please leave a review! I need your feedback!**


	34. Chapter 34

"I'm going to need help…I know he won't let me help him, and he's just going to end up making things worse trying to do everything for himself."

Quinn's voice shook slightly as she spoke into the phone, knowing that Artie would definitely not approve of the conversation she was having. But, it was necessary, and he was just going to have to suck it up and deal with it.

"You can stay in the guest room…we've been sort of cleaning it out for the baby. There are still boxes all over everywhere, but I can move them so there's space for your stuff, at least. The doctor said it's going to be a couple of months before he's able to do most things for himself again. Or maybe longer."

Artie's doctor had told Quinn that he'd likely be able to go home in the next couple of days, but that he'd need a great deal of help…which she could see by the fact that he could barely move and was drugged out of his mind 90% of the time. She thought it was too soon for him to come home, but whenever he was awake, that was what he talked about, and she thought maybe it would make him get better faster. She needed him to get better, ASAP.

"He's going to hate it," the voice on the phone answered her, laughing slightly. "You know that, right? If you thought he was grouchy before, just wait until he's home and I'm there all the time."

"Well, he's just going to have to deal with it," Quinn said, her voice quiet. She'd been grouchy with Artie when she had been at the hospital earlier in the day, and had finally left, telling him that she needed to go do a few things. He was in a horrible mood, she was in a horrible mood, and she didn't think either one of them needed to be having an argument. Linds would be arriving shortly after she left, and the fact that she hadn't left him totally alone made her feel better…but only a little. The conversation she'd had with him earlier still ran through her mind, but she shoved it aside, deciding instead to put all of her energy into getting things ready and planned out so he could come home.

"Have you told him yet?"

"No, of course not," Quinn snapped, realizing only after the words had exited her mouth how harsh they sounded. "Sorry. No…I haven't. I wanted to make sure everything was good with you, and I thought maybe it could be a…surprise."

"Surprise! I got the person you want the least to come help you out to move in with us for a while to help with things. Yeah…he'll love that."

"Maybe he'll be grouchy about so many things that that won't even sink in at first," Quinn sighed, rubbing her eyes with her hand. "I'm a horrible wife."

"Quinn, you're not…you're just trying to keep everything together, and you're doing a pretty good job."

The comment made Quinn burst into tears.

"Can you come help me move these boxes?" she sputtered, sniffling slightly. "I'm so tired, and nauseous, and I need to move them so there's space for you."

After assuring her that he could definitely come do that right away, Michael hung up the phone, and got ready to go over to Quinn and Artie's house. He knew that Artie had been being less than accepting of the situation at hand, and probably taking it out on Quinn, and he knew that Artie would probably throw a fit of 5 year old proportions when he found out Michael was going to be staying there for a while, but oh well. He was an adult, and needed to act like one.

* * *

><p><em>Earlier that day…<em>

"Avery can stay with my parents or your mom until I'm better…she doesn't need to see this."

It was a few days after Artie had been admitted into the hospital, and he was starting to get (even more) grouchy and short with everyone. Quinn could sympathize, since she knew how much he hated hospitals and not being as independent as he would have liked, and she knew he was in pain, but still…he wasn't usually that unreasonable, sometimes even borderline mean. She wondered if the various medications they had him on were contributing to that, and made a mental note to ask the doctor the next time she had a chance to speak with him alone, but at that moment she just wanted to smack him.

"Artie, we are not sending our daughter away to live somewhere else for two months," she answered him, her tone clipped. "Seriously. She's been so excited for when you come home. And you keep talking about coming home."

"Well, I thought about it some more last night, and decided that I don't want her to see me like this." Artie attempted to shift around slightly, stopping when he realized it was both painful and incredibly difficult. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to manage once he got home, since he didn't want Quinn helping in case it hurt the baby, but he could figure it out.

"Artie…" Quinn trailed off, her eyes filling with tears. Why was he being so selfish? He wasn't usually like that.

"What?" he asked, trying to look over at her, finding it difficult with the brace on his neck. He was so tired…he just wanted to sleep, but he knew they needed to be having this conversation.

"Nothing," Quinn murmured, moving closer to him and gently brushing his hair from his forehead. "You look tired…you should sleep for a while. I'll still be here when you wake up."

* * *

><p>While Artie slept, Quinn made a list on her phone, of questions to ask the doctor, things she needed to do, and a shopping list. She was finding her memory patchy lately, probably a combination of being pregnant and not getting enough sleep, and found that if she didn't make very detailed lists, things got forgotten.<p>

She was grateful that Artie's parents had said they would take Avery for a few days while Quinn got things sorted out and ready for Artie to come home, but she was starting to miss her. She knew Artie did too, even if he had suddenly decided that he didn't want her at their house until he was better.

She scoffed quietly, as she thought about that. She knew he hated Avery having to see anything related to his disability or his injuries, but seriously…to suggest that she shouldn't even live there? She had almost asked him if he was high, but had restrained herself, since he probably was.

Quinn looked over at him, sleeping, and sighed. She knew she should be more patient with him, but really…everything was starting to grate on her nerves. She was barely sleeping, and when she did it was restless. And she was nauseous all the time. She just hoped that his mood improved once he was home, otherwise she would have to lay it out to him, regardless of how he was feeling. It might be difficult, but she was just going to have to stand her ground.

* * *

><p>"Are you still here?"<p>

Artie's soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she stood up, moving over to him.

"Still here," she said, smiling a little at him, despite the fact that she'd just been thinking about how she'd deal with him if he didn't start acting like Artie and not some grumpy old man.

"What time is it?" he murmured, returning her smile slightly, although to her it looked more like he was grimacing than smiling at her.

"A little after three…you didn't sleep for very long. How are you feeling?"

He shifted around a little, obviously in pain, and she felt bad for a moment, that she'd even thought anything other than how brave he was.

"Like I got run over by a…scaffolding," he murmured, frowning. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, I mostly just sat here," Quinn answered him. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes…I need to go home," Artie said, his voice a little louder. "Today."

"Well…that might have to wait a couple more days, like the doctor said this morning," Quinn said, taking his hand, being careful of the bandage on his arm. "But you'll be home soon. And Avery's going to be so excited. So am I," she added, grinning at him.

"I told you…Avery can't see this," he said, his tone suddenly changing. "I don't want her to."

Quinn let go of his hand, taking a step back, suddenly feeling what she thought might be an inappropriate level of rage as she looked down at him.

"Artie, I have to go for a while…I have some things I need to do at home," she said, biting her lip, her tone short. "I'll probably be back later. Linds said she was coming around 3:30, so she should keep you occupied."

His head cloudy, Artie didn't quite understand the fact that she was obviously leaving because he'd made her mad.

"Will you be back before dinner?" he asked, trying to move a little so he could see her better.

"I don't know," Quinn said, stepping forward and quickly kissing his cheek, ignoring the look on his face as he tried to process what was going on. "I love you."

"Love you too," Artie murmured, watching her leave.

* * *

><p>She barely made it out to the parking lot before she burst into tears, sitting there, resting her head on the steering wheel, her sobs echoing throughout the car. Why was he being like that? She knew why, but still…WHY was he being like that? Why couldn't he just be the Artie that he usually was?<p>

She had been thinking for days about what they were going to do when he came home…he wouldn't let her help him, because of the baby, and he definitely couldn't take care of himself with one arm in a sling, the other arm full of stitches, and a brace on his neck. Beth had suggested that maybe they could all stay at their house until he was a little more mobile, but Artie wouldn't hear of it, saying that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.

She knew he wasn't, of course, and she told him as much, which had resulted in him being unreasonable, as had become the norm lately, and then saying that he needed more painkillers and to sleep.

And then Steve had suggested that she ask Michael if he would stay with them for a while, to help out. He was back for the summer, and had decided not to get a job, which Steve hadn't been happy about at first, but now he was glad. Quinn had laughed, saying that Artie would probably shun them all if that happened, but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense.

Michael would probably be willing to help, and maybe being mad about that would motivate Artie to pull himself together. Plus, if he was being as unreasonable and ridiculous as he had been the last couple of days, Michael would show less restraint than Quinn did with letting him know that he needed to stop.

She sat in her car for a few minutes, before deciding that she would call Michael when she got home.

* * *

><p>After Quinn left, Artie stared at the ceiling, cursing the fact that he was unable to do anything else. Quinn had said that Linds would be there soon, but she wasn't yet. A nurse had come in to check on him, help him move around a little, and give him some more medication, before leaving him alone with his thoughts.<p>

It sank in about ten minutes after she'd gone that Quinn had seemed mad when she left, and he wondered why. Because he'd said he didn't want Avery to see him like that once he was home? He thought that was fairly reasonable, not wanting to expose their six year old daughter to that, but apparently not.

Despite the fact that he told Quinn and his parents that he'd be able to take care of things when he got home, he knew he wouldn't. He could barely move…his entire body was basically useless, at least temporarily.

The doctor had said that he could go home in a couple of days, and the prospect of that made him feel more nervous than he'd felt…possibly ever. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, or how anything was going to work, but he hoped that it would sort itself out. He still had a couple of days to get feeling significantly better. Maybe it would happen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here you go! Sorry for the delay…I've been pretty busy lately.**

**As always, co-written with GLEEful Heart (who provided some guidance). **


	35. Chapter 35

Artie tried to improve his mood in the couple of days leading up to his being able to go home, but it was difficult. He and Quinn had several arguments about it, but by the end he always apologized, and she always forgave him. Or, at least…she seemed to. It was hard for him to tell if she was genuinely forgiving him, or just saying that because he was hurt.

He had finally agreed that maybe sending Avery away to stay with her grandparents until he was better wasn't the best idea, but that didn't mean that he liked the fact that his daughter was going to see him completely helpless. Quinn assured him that Avery probably wouldn't even notice, but Artie wasn't convinced.

Quinn had been preparing the house ever since Michael had agreed to stay with them, something she still hadn't told Artie. She had talked to Michael about it, and they decided that it would be best too just not tell him until he was actually home, at which point it would be too late for him to do anything about it. Not that he really could, anyway.

With Michael's help, the guest room had been cleaned up so that it was suitable for him to stay in, and they'd moved some furniture around, moving the small loveseat from the living room into the bedroom, since the doctor had said that Artie would need to stay in bed most of the time for probably a couple more weeks, and they didn't have much furniture in there other than the bed and a chair Quinn was finding more and more uncomfortable since she was pregnant. She had never really been a fan of the chair before, but it seemed to be getting worse and she had told Michael that maybe they should just get rid of it.

Since Artie's chair had been damaged, Quinn had had Michael bring his spare up from the basement, where he kept it so that he had one down there. He'd looked it over, and told her that it needed a little tune up, and Quinn had told him that she didn't really know what to do, could he do it. Michael had laughed, saying of course he would do it, but that they shouldn't tell Artie, or he might be suspicious of sabotage, which made Quinn laugh, too. She hadn't been laughing much lately, and had found Michael's presence in the house as they got things ready oddly comforting.

During the day, Quinn had found things for Avery to do so that she would be occupied, but every time she picked her up, all Avery talked about was going to see Artie, and going to get him to take him home.

Avery was thrilled that he was finally coming home, and she'd taken it upon herself to decorate everywhere, including having Beth help her make a large sign that said "Welcome home Daddy! Mommy, the baby, Bailey and I missed you!" She had wanted to hang it on the outside of their house, but Quinn had managed to convince her that inside might be better, since Artie wouldn't actually be outside other than when he was coming in. Avery had settled for having it hung in the entryway of the house, and then moved into the bedroom once he was inside. This had made Quinn laugh, but she'd said they would see what they could do.

Artie was still pretty much immobilized, and Quinn knew that meant Michael would have to provide a lot of help to him, which would probably make him mad, but there wasn't much anyone could do about that. They hadn't told Avery that Michael was going to be staying there, since they thought it might accidentally get back to Artie, which would only aggravate the situation.

* * *

><p>The morning he was coming home, Quinn dropped Avery off at her mother's, who was going to bring her to the hospital before they left to go home. Artie had asked that she not see him at least until he was home, but Quinn had told him that there was no way Avery was going to miss him coming home, and he better be grateful for that. He was, but still…he didn't like it.<p>

Quinn had shown up early, bringing his spare chair with her. She realized that morning that no one had actually told him his usual one had been damaged beyond repair, and strangely, he hadn't asked.

"Ready to go home?" she asked, stepping into the room, a smile on her face despite the nervousness she was feeling about his finding out that she'd moved Michael in to help out.

"Yes…immediately," Artie murmured. As Quinn got closer, she realized that he was incredibly drugged, from the look in his eyes. The doctor had said they would be getting him ready to go…but she didn't think they would give him that much. She supposed it was best, since the chances of her driving home without hitting any bumps in the road were slim to none, and he would probably be in even more pain by the time they got home.

"Well, I think we should wait for the doctor, to make sure they actually want you to leave…they might like you so much by now that they want to keep you here," she said, smiling at him as she took his hand. "I'm really glad you're coming home, babe."

"Me too," Artie murmured, struggling to keep his eyes open. It seemed like he hadn't noticed that the chair she'd brought wasn't his usual one…maybe he wouldn't until they were home, Quinn thought. Or maybe he was beyond caring because he just wanted to go home.

The doctor came in a few minutes later, checking him out, before announcing that he would get a couple of people to help get him into his chair. Quinn had let him know in private that she had asked Artie's brother to stay with them until he was better, but that she hadn't told Artie, and the doctor had agreed not to say anything, although he might not totally have agreed with keeping that information from his patient.

Once he was in his chair, Quinn got behind him to help him out to the van, but Artie protested, saying that it would be bad for the baby. Quinn assured him it was fine, but he wouldn't accept that as an answer, and soon they had found an orderly to help get him outside.

* * *

><p>"DADDY!"<p>

Artie heard Avery before he could see her, and his whole face lit up with a grin as she came running across the grass once he was out of the van. She and Judy had arrived a few minutes before Quinn and Artie, and Judy had left her with Michael, not wanting to intrude on the moment of him coming home. Quinn had assured her it wasn't an intrusion, but Judy had insisted.

"Hey, Princess," Artie said, grinning at her, the drugs they'd given him having partially worn off. "Wait, were you here by yourself?"

"No, silly," Avery said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Grandma dropped me off and Uncle Michael was taking care of me until you got here!"

"Uncle Michael's here?" Artie asked, as Avery announced that she was going to push him into the house. Quinn cautioned her that she had to be careful, and Artie figured Quinn was lending a hand to make sure Avery didn't accidentally dump him onto the lawn.

"Yes! He was here when Grandma brought me home!" Avery said, before Quinn could say anything. Michael came into view just as they turned up the corner in the walk to go inside.

"Hey," Michael said, nodding to his brother. "Glad to be back?"

"Yeah," Artie answered, wondering why Michael was there and, more importantly, why Michael had already been there when Avery got home.

They didn't say much else as they headed inside, and Artie's grin got even wider as he saw the banner that Avery and Beth had made, hanging where he could see it.

"Daddy! Grandma helped me make this for you!" she said, pointing to the banner. "I wanted to hang it outside, but Mommy said it would be better inside and she said we can put it in your room when you're in bed!"

"It's great, Princess," Artie answered her, as she gently hugged him, her small arms wrapping carefully around his chest.

"I think we should get Daddy to bed so he can rest," Quinn said to Avery, who agreed, and started dragging him in the direction of their bedroom.

Once there, Artie looked at Quinn, wanting to ask her why Michael was there. He paused, when he realized Michael was in the room.

"No one wanted to tell you before you got here, but Quinn and I cleaned up your guest room and I'm going to stay here for a while and help out."

* * *

><p>Quinn's eyes widened at Michael's statement, thinking that he probably could have been a little more tactful, but at least Artie knew now.<p>

"What?" Artie asked, thankful that Avery had gone out of the room, announcing that she was going to go get Bailey. "No."

Quinn had been about to intervene, when Michael spoke up.

"Thanks for the warm welcome," he said, his tone slightly dry, although Quinn knew that he had been expecting this reaction, and was prepared for it.

"I can't believe you guys planned this and didn't say anything," Artie said, his anger evident in his tone, despite the fact that he sounded weak and tired. "But it's not happening."

"Ok, then get out of your chair and into bed, and I'll just stand here," Michael said, sounding impatient and annoyed, although Quinn knew he was neither. "Quinn can't help you, because of the baby, so if you don't want my help, you're on your own. Unless you want Avery to help, but that's probably not going to work."

Artie realized that resistance was pointless, that he needed help, that what Michael said was true, but that didn't mean that he liked it. His relationship with Michael had improved somewhat over the last few months, starting when Michael had found out about them trying to get pregnant and had given them some financial support, which Artie thought was a pretty selfless gesture, but that didn't mean he wanted Michael living in his house and seeing him at his most vulnerable. But he was right…Quinn was pregnant, and even if she wasn't, he wouldn't have wanted her helping him in case she hurt herself.

"You don't need to be an…asshole about it," Artie muttered, looking around to make sure Avery wasn't back yet. "I know I need help without you rubbing it in my face."

"Well, then stop acting like you don't know that," Michael cut in, moving closer to him. When Artie went to protest, he added, "Just shut up and let me help you."

* * *

><p>Once Artie was settled, Avery climbed up beside him, being careful not to jostle the bed, and said they should watch a movie. Quinn knew that Artie would probably be asleep within a couple of minutes, but thought it might be nice for him to spend a little time with Avery before that happened. Besides, Artie seemed displeased with both her and Michael (probably for good reason, she thought), and she decided they all might benefit from not being around each other for a little while.<p>

She had been just about to say something to Michael as they sat down in the living room, when Avery came out, saying that Artie wanted Quinn.

Concerned, she headed into the bedroom, her expression softening slightly when she saw Artie lying there, covered in a princess blanket that Avery had brought from her room.

"What is it, babe?" she asked, approaching the bed, looking down at him. "Do you need something?"

"I'm sorry,' Artie murmured, trying to reach out towards her, his right hand shaking slightly as the movement obviously hurt.

She moved a little closer, and his hand found what it was looking for, her midsection. The gesture was simple, but made her tear up slightly, which she blamed on her hormones and the fact that she was just so glad he was finally home.

"I know I haven't been a very good husband lately, and I know I need help, and it's really nice that Michael said he would come live here…don't tell him I said that…" Artie murmured, smiling faintly. "But I'm really glad to be back, with you and the baby, and Avery, and Bailey…and Michael, I guess. And I promise…I'll be 100% before the baby gets here so I can help you with things instead of you having to help me."

At his words, the tears in Quinn's eyes spilled over, and she leaned forward, placing a kiss on his lips for the first time in days.

"I love you," Quinn said, between her tears. "And I'm so glad you're back too, babe."

After a few minutes, Avery came back, bringing another blanket with her, and said that she thought he might be cold and need a spare, and then the two of them settled in to watch the movie Avery had selected . Quinn watched them for a moment, going and grabbing her camera and taking a couple of pictures before going back to the living room. She decided not to tell Michael that Artie had admitted that he needed help and that it was nice for Michael to come. Artie could do that himself, when he was ready.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another update! :)**

**I see you in my stats, and I would love it if you left a review letting me know what you liked/didn't like.**


	36. Chapter 36

Despite the rough start, things seemed to fall into place relatively quickly at the Abrams house. Artie still wasn't too excited about the fact that his younger brother had moved into his house because he'd gotten maimed at his job at the museum, but he had stopped commenting on that fact, knowing that everyone knew how he felt.

If he'd been Michael, he probably would have been kind of rude to Artie and then left, but Michael didn't do that. If anything, the shorter Artie was with him, the more Michael seemed to be almost enjoying himself.

They'd fallen into a pretty regular rhythm after a couple of days, and although Artie was starting to feel ridiculously bored and useless, he figured he was probably the best cared-for person in the world.

Artie had physio three times a week, and usually Quinn took him, but occasionally Michael would, leaving Quinn to rest or do something with Avery, or both, since Avery was becoming increasingly concerned that Quinn should be resting a lot to make sure the baby was doing well.

Although reluctant at first, Artie found that having Michael chauffeur him to physio wasn't actually that bad, and he found that they were actually having conversations about all sorts of things, including Artie's job, something that probably wouldn't have happened before. He tended to be a little grouchy by the time he was finished there, the increasing, painful work they were doing on his shoulder taking its toll on him, but he tried to not make that obvious, although he suspected that everyone including Avery had picked up on it.

On one day, he had asked Michael to take him to the museum to say hi to everyone after physio, which Michael had done, somewhat reluctantly. They had only stayed for a little bit, and when they'd come home, Avery and Quinn had just finished baking cookies, which Avery had insisted would make him feel better. Artie remarked to Quinn that the only thing that would make him feel better was painkillers, but that he supposed eating himself into a coma with cookies might be effective too, which had made her laugh.

Quinn was relieved that he seemed to be taking things in stride, rather than wallowing as he had done when he was at the hospital. He was still spending a lot of time in bed, both because she forced him and voluntarily, but he was also spending time out of bed now, in the living room, outside, going places. It was nice.

As much as he would have liked to, he hadn't been able to go with her to her first baby appointment after he was released from the hospital, but he'd vowed then to not miss another one, and he hadn't so far.

Things were moving along the way they were supposed to, which made Quinn feel relieved, since she felt like she kept waiting for something to go wrong, although she never once said that to Artie. She suspected that maybe he was having some o those feelings too, but he never said anything either, and she was grateful for that.

* * *

><p>Artie had been home for a couple of weeks, when he'd finally decided that it was probably time to get a new chair. He was growing sick of the spare, which didn't feel quite the same as his old one had, but everyone had told him to wait until he could move both his arms again, because he couldn't really try out anything until he could do that.<p>

He disagreed, saying he wanted exactly what he'd had before. It had worked perfectly, and he saw no reason for a new one with the same specifications not to work equally as well. The occupational therapist he'd been dealing with on the matter had agreed, suggesting that he might want to try something else, but he'd said no, he liked what he had.

It had taken him a couple of days to even notice that he didn't have his chair, and he'd asked Quinn about it. He thought about the conversation, as they drove to his physio appointment.

"_My chair didn't make it, did it?"_

"_No, babe, it didn't."_

"_It's probably just as well…since it was the reason we're in this situation in the first place."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well, if I wasn't…like this, I would have been up on the scaffolding instead of one of the other people, and they wouldn't have been hurt, and I wouldn't have been hurt as badly._

"_Babe…that's ridiculous. You can't think like that."_

"_Well, it's true."_

"_It's not true…Jack said your chair saved you from being totally crushed under everything. If you had been on the scaffolding, it could have been so much worse. If you hadn't had that chair it could have been so much worse. But it wasn't."_

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Avery urgently tugging at his sleeve, announcing that they were almost there and asking if he was excited to get a new wheelchair.

He'd been reluctant to agree to Avery coming with them, but she kept asking and asking, and finally he'd decided he might as well just say yes. He decided that she might like to feel like she was helping him pick out his chair, even though he'd already told everyone what he wanted, and the idea had thrilled her.

After his session, they'd headed over to the occupational therapist's office, where Avery had promptly started asking questions and chatting, which made everyone laugh.

"Daddy, are you SURE you don't want purple?" she asked, holding up a colour sample that she'd been given to look at. "The baby and I think you want purple!"

"The baby and I" was a new thing that Avery was doing…it seemed like every second phrase out of her mouth started with "the baby and I", and she was just getting more and more excited as she thought more about the fact that soon the baby would be there. Quinn had told her it would still be a few months before the baby was there, but that didn't seem to matter to Avery.

"I don't think Daddy wants purple," Quinn said to Avery, chuckling slightly as Avery then held up a bright pink sample and said maybe he would like that better.

As delicately as possible, Artie suggested that maybe purple or pink weren't best (because they wouldn't match most of his clothes, as he tried to explain), and finally settled on a dark blue, which Avery said was ok, she guessed, since it would match a lot of his clothes.

Once they were done there, Artie said they should go out for lunch, which Quinn agreed to, even though he looked like he was about ready to pass out. They decided to go for a quick lunch, and before long, they were on their way home.

* * *

><p>"Quinn, are you ok?" Artie called out from his position on their bed, the sound of Quinn's violent throwing up unsettling to him, although it wasn't the first time it had happened. "Hold on…I'm coming," he added, as Michael had just appeared in the room, figuring that Artie would be sending him a text asking for a little help if he didn't go in there.<p>

Once he was in his chair, Michael pushed Artie over to the bathroom, stopping when Artie waved him off and attempted to get himself in there with his right arm, which had had the stitches removed and was cleared for some light activity.

Since wheeling himself with one arm resulted mostly in him just going in a circle, he used a combination of wheeling himself and pulling himself forward on the bathroom furniture to get to her, ignoring the pain the movement was causing in his neck and shoulder, both of which were still immobilized.

When he got to her, he reached out, gently placing his hand on her back, rubbing it back and forth until she looked at him.

"Next time I'm going to go with my gut and say no when you say we should go for lunch," she murmured, her eyes closed as she moved to lean against his legs. "I knew we should have come home so you could lie down," she added dryly, smiling slightly as she looked up at him. "Which you should be doing now."

"Had to come check on my woman," Artie said, grinning at her a little. "The baby and I want you to come lie down with me," he added, biting back the chuckle that threatened to escape his lips. "Maybe this whole throwing up thing was the baby's way of telling you that."

"If that's the case, the baby isn't very nice," Quinn said, her smile widening as she looked at Artie's grin. "But I think we would both love to come lie down with you."

* * *

><p>They cuddled in bed together for a little while, something Artie was still finding difficult because of his neck brace, but it was a little better than it had been previously, which made him smile.<p>

After helping Artie back onto the bed, Michael had announced that he and Avery were going to go outside and dig around in the garden, something Avery absolutely loved doing. The message was clear, that he was giving Quinn and Artie a little alone time, since it seemed like that was where things were headed, and Artie nodded, hoping the gesture expressed that he was grateful for that.

"Are you feeling better?" Artie asked, his hand finding Quinn's. Seeing that he couldn't actually see her, she sat up a little, leaning over so that he could.

"A little…being rescued off the bathroom floor tends to do that," Quinn said, smiling at him. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Oh, great," Artie answered her, although he knew he didn't sound very convincing. His back was sore, and his neck, and shoulder, and arms and basically everything.

"Liar," Quinn said, propping herself up and leaning over and kissing him. "Do you need to take something?"

"No…I'm lying here with my wife…I don't want to be high for this," Artie murmured. "I've been deprived lately and need to make up for it."

"Babe, lying here in pain is not making up for it," Quinn said, leaning forward and kissing him again. "Come on…the baby and I want you to take something."

"The baby does NOT want me to take something," Artie said, laughing slightly as he tried to get comfortable. "The baby wants me to cuddle you and take advantage of our alone time."

"The baby wants you to be feeling better," Quinn insisted. "Which means you have to do whatever you need to in order to be feeling better."

"Well…maybe I could take something," Artie admitted, shifting again.

Before he could say anything else, Quinn carefully got up from the bed, and was about to get him something to drink and his pills, when she suddenly bolted from the room into the bathroom. And Artie was stuck on the bed, and had no way of getting up safely to go to her.

He was about to text Michael to come help him, when he heard water running, and then Quinn came back out, her face pale. But she was smiling.

"That was just the baby telling you that he or she is glad that you agreed to take something," she murmured, moving over to his night table to get his pills, before opening a bottle of water and sticking a straw in it so he could drink from it without sitting up.

Once he'd taken them, she got beside him again, carefully resting her head on his chest.

"Is this ok?" she asked, as she felt his arm go around her shoulders. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"Of course it's ok," Artie said, his hand finding its place on her back. "The baby and I want you to sleep for a little while…maybe you'll feel better then."

"That's strange, because I was just going to say that the baby and I want you to sleep for a little while, so YOU feel better," Quinn said, looking up at him and grinning. "Nap time? I'm sure Michael will keep Avery occupied for a little while."

"But I wanted to take advantage of our alone time and…take advantage of you," Artie murmured, his hand moving slowly up and down her back.

"I think that can wait until later," Quinn said, placing her hand on his chest. "I love you, babe. Sleep for a little while, and so will I."

"I love you too," Artie murmured, feeling the medication hit his bloodstream. "And the baby."

"And the baby loves you too," Quinn whispered, looking up as he closed his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aaaaaand, we're back to ending the chapter with them in bed.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	37. Chapter 37

After about three weeks, Artie was feeling significantly better. He was finally able to get rid of the sling, but had been told he'd need to keep the neck brace on for a few more weeks, which annoyed him. But, he supposed, it was better than having to keep both the sling and the neck brace.

His shoulder was finally feeling a lot better. He still had some issues with anything involving lifting, such as getting out of bed, but at least he could wheel himself around for short periods of time…enough to get around the house.

This also meant that he was finally able to get rid of the catheter they'd insisted he have when he left the hospital. He had grouched about it at first, before deciding to just act like it didn't exist, something that was difficult pretty much any time Quinn or Michael provided him with any assistance related to it, but he tried his best to block it out, something they both knew and tried to assist with.

Feeling like he was almost back to his regular, independent self, he had asked Michael to take him to the museum one Friday morning, thinking he could get a couple of hours of work in. He wanted to try and go back to work as quickly as possible, although he was enjoying spending time with Quinn and Avery. He was feeling useless, and thought going back to work, at least part time, might help with that.

Unsure that it was the right thing to do, Michael dropped him off, saying that he should just text him whenever he was done, since Artie hadn't been cleared for driving yet. He'd been about to leave the parking lot, when Quinn texted him, asking if he could please stick around for a little while, since she didn't think Artie was going to last very long.

Artie had barely made it through the door of the museum, when he was met by Jack. This should have made him feel suspicious that maybe Quinn had called him, but it didn't, and he just assumed Jack had been walking by when he saw him coming. He was still moving pretty slowly, and it seemed to be taking a lot of effort, but he was determined to try, at least.

After greeting him, Jack looked down at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Has your doctor cleared you for work?" he asked, noticing how Artie shifted, figuring whatever came out of his mouth would probably be less than truthful.

"Well…he cleared me for work-like activities, so I figured that was the same," Artie said. His doctor had cleared him for being in his chair and moving around, but for no more than a couple of hours at a time before resting.

"Work-like activities? Well, that doesn't sound like he cleared you for work. Not that I'm not glad to see you…you just need to take it easy." Jack had been to see him a bunch of times over the last few weeks, so he could see how he'd improved, but still…he didn't look that great. "But now that you're here, let's go get a coffee, before you leave again."

Realizing that arguing with his boss was pointless, Artie agreed, and before long they were sitting in the deserted café in the lobby of the museum.

"I'm feeling kind of…useless," Artie admitted, once they both had coffee. "Now that I'm sort of mobile again, I want to be doing things. And I'm really enjoying being at home with Quinn and Avery, and getting things ready for the baby, but I just…feel useless."

"Well, I'm pretty sure Quinn and Avery don't think you're being useless," Jack said, looking at him. "So my advice is that you take the time you can right now and do things with them, and come back here when your doctor says you're good to go."

The conversation went back and forth for a little while longer, before Jack noticed that Artie was starting to look uncomfortable, and suggested that he get whoever dropped him off to pick him up. Somewhat reluctantly, Artie texted Michael, who texted back that he was in the parking lot. He must have stayed in case Artie couldn't handle it, he thought, as Jack walked him out.

And, of course, he'd been right.

* * *

><p>While Artie was gone, Quinn and Avery decided to try to organize some baby things, which proved slightly difficult, since Michael was currently occupying the room that would be the baby's.<p>

Avery offered that they could put the baby things in her room, and Quinn had agreed, saying that they could definitely do that. They had just finished putting together a mobile that Avery had picked out, when Artie and Michael came back.

Artie looked miserable, and said he was going to bed for a little while, but that maybe they could all do something together later, which thrilled Avery.

After Artie was in bed, Michael went to Quinn and asked if she needed help with whatever they were doing, and before long, he was dragging the crib upstairs from the basement, since Avery had said she thought they should put it together so they could put all the baby things in it.

It was the crib that all three Abrams children had used in their infancy, that Beth and Steve had insisted Quinn and Artie should have when Quinn was pregnant with Avery, and Quinn got a little teary-eyed when Michael brought up the pieces.

"Maybe we should wait for Artie," she said, watching as he stacked the sides neatly against the wall. "I'm sure he would want to help put it together," she added, looking at Michael.

"Probably," Michael agreed, moving the crib sections out of the way so they weren't blocking anything. "Is there anything else you want brought up?"

Quinn thought for a moment, before suggesting a couple more things, which Michael and Avery went downstairs to find.

Quinn headed into their bedroom to check on Artie, finding him still awake, attempting to play with Bailey.

"Babe, Michael brought the crib upstairs, and we're going to put it together when you're up again, ok?" she asked, going over and sitting gingerly on the mattress beside him, taking his hand. "How are you feeling? You don't usually volunteer to go rest," she added, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm just a little stiff," Artie said, shifting around slightly. He didn't think it would be a good idea to tell her that it felt like someone had put an elephant on his head and was pressing it down into his shoulders. "That sounds great…although I don't know how useful I'll be at putting it together."

"You weren't too useful the first time around, and you weren't hurt then," Quinn chuckled, biting her lip and grinning at him. "If your dad hadn't helped, Avery would probably have had to sleep on the floor."

"We didn't have any instructions," Artie protested, laughing. "It wasn't my fault."

"Your dad said a monkey could have put it together," Quinn teased, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Well, he had three kids worth of practice, so he just knew what to do," Artie insisted, after kissing her back.

"Sure sure," Quinn teased, kissing him again. "You should take something and sleep for a little while, and then we'll put it together later."

Artie didn't argue, and before long, he was falling asleep, and Quinn was on her way down to the basement to see what was keeping Michael and Avery.

* * *

><p>Eventually, Artie was awake, and they were putting together the crib. Much to Artie's delight, Michael couldn't quite figure out how to put it together either, and soon Steve was on his way over, since Avery insisted that they HAD to put it together so the baby things could go in it.<p>

"You guys are both hopeless," Steve said, having snapped the crib pieces together in under ten minutes. "Are you SURE we're related?" he asked, chuckling slightly.

"Well, considering the fact that we both look a lot like you, I'd say yes," Artie said, laughing. "Thanks for coming over. Quinn and Avery were doing baby stuff all day, and thought it should all go in the crib," he added, as Avery began putting things they'd collected into the crib.

"I helped Uncle Michael carry things upstairs!" Avery announced, wrapping her arms around her grandpa. "He said I was a good helper!"

"I'm sure you were!" Steve said, hugging her back. "Looks like you were a pretty good helper," he added, surveying the baby paraphernalia strewn all over everywhere.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Quinn asked, remembering that she hadn't actually taken anything out of the freezer to cook, and that there was nothing in the fridge. "We can order something…I forgot to go shopping."

Steve said yes, he would love to stay, and suggested that they call Beth and Linds to join them, who could pick something up, so that Quinn and Artie wouldn't have to worry about it.

Quinn protested that that wasn't necessary, but Steve insisted, and before long, Beth and Linds were on their way over with Chinese.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Quinn and Artie were lying in bed, Quinn's head resting on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.<p>

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" she asked, looking up at him. "The doctor said next time the sonogram should actually look a little more baby-like."

"I am," he said, his face lighting up as she talked about the appointment they had the next day. "Do you think we should bring Avery? Michael said they could find something to do if we didn't want to."

"Do you think we should take her?" Quinn asked, sitting up. "She'd probably like to come."

"She would," Artie answered, smiling. "I think we should take her. She'll love it."

"This morning while I was making breakfast she wrapped her arms around me and was talking to the baby about what we were eating," Quinn said. "She was telling him or her how much everyone loves bacon, and that she knew the baby would too."

Artie burst out laughing, the movement hurting his neck.

"Well…she was right about that," he chuckled, groaning slightly as he tried to move his head, temporarily forgetting about the brace holding it in place.

"She talks to the baby more than you do," Quinn added, a smile on her face. "About everything. The baby is going to know exactly what goes on here before he or she even gets here."

"Well, she just wants the baby to be prepared," he said, bringing his hand down to rest on her midsection. "Nothing wrong with that."

"No, I suppose not," Quinn laughed, putting her hand over his. "This baby is pretty lucky, to have such a great big sister and daddy," she added quietly.

"And mommy," Artie added, his voice equally as quiet. "I think this is one of the most loved babies in the world."

"I agree," Quinn yawned, pulling the blankets up over them. "I think we should sleep now…our appointment is pretty early tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan," Artie answered, yawning. "You made me yawn."

"Are you calling me boring?" Quinn asked, laughing tiredly. "Thanks, babe. I love you too."

"No…I called you an…infectious yawner," Artie chuckled, yawning again. "And you're not supposed to say I love you too until I say I love you. So…I love you."

"I love you too…again," Quinn murmured, yawning again. "Goodnight, babe."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I feel like now you guys will be expecting daily updates, and I don't know if I can deliver that, but I will try!**


	38. Chapter 38

The next morning arrived far too early for both Artie and Quinn, but they couldn't help but be excited.

Artie hadn't slept too much, the result of an incredibly sore neck, which meant that Quinn hadn't slept much either. He'd insisted that she should just sleep and he would leave the room, but she wouldn't have that. They'd ended up watching tv off and on, Quinn gently rubbing Artie's neck and back, trying to make him feel better.

Eventually, Avery came bouncing into the room, and Quinn groaned slightly, noticing that it was just after 5am. Artie had decided that he was going to get up, and had told her to sleep for a little while longer, but apparently that wasn't to be.

"Can we make pancakes?" Avery asked, climbing up onto the bed and lying down between them, still wary of accidentally hurting Artie. "Uncle Michael is awake and I said we should make them to surprise you but he doesn't know how."

"Yeah…Uncle Michael making pancakes probably isn't the best idea," Artie said, laughing slightly. "I'll make some."

"Daddy…I want Mommy to," Avery protested, looking at him. "Hers are better. I mean…your neck might hurt!" she added, quickly correcting herself, which caused Quinn to burst out laughing.

"Mommy needs to sleep," Artie said, shifting a little, trying to figure out if he could get out of bed by himself without hurting something. "Why don't you and I go see if we can make them? I bet Uncle Michael will help."

"I'll go get him so he can help you!" Avery announced, flying over Artie and off the bed before either he or Quinn could react, and running out of the room.

"Looks like I'm going to make pancakes," Artie said, grinning at Quinn. "Sleep for a while. We'll come bring you pancakes when they're ready."

* * *

><p>After Avery had dragged Michael to help Artie, who wasn't entirely convinced that he even needed help, the three of them headed to the kitchen to make pancakes.<p>

It was a group effort, but before long, there was a pan full of pancakes on the stove being supervised by Michael, since Artie was having difficulty raising his arms high enough to check to see when they were done. Once the batter was made, Avery tiptoed out of the kitchen, announcing that she wanted to go lie down with Quinn for a little while before breakfast, leaving the two brothers alone.

"Don't burn the pancakes…I always burn them, and then Avery eats them anyway even though they taste like tires," Artie said, shifting in his chair, trying to get comfortable. He couldn't wait for his new chair to be ready…his spare was less than ideal, especially when he was already in pain.

"Well, that's your fault if you serve the burned ones to her," Michael pointed out, flipping the pancakes over. "You could just throw them away, or give them to Bailey."

"She takes them before I can do anything!" Artie insisted, eyeing the pan. "I think those are done."

"Relax, I just flipped them over…I'm pretty sure I can handle making pancakes. It's not exactly rocket science," Michael said dryly. "See?" he asked, taking the pan off the heat and showing it to Artie.

"Don't take them off the burner, you're going to damage them!" Artie protested.

"Damage them? …are you high?" Michael asked, looking at Artie more closely. "Yeah…you are."

"Lies," Artie muttered, shifting again. He'd taken a pain killer a couple of hours earlier, and was definitely feeling the effects of it.

Michael had been about to say something, when Avery came into the kitchen, Quinn in tow. Despite the fact that she looked exhausted, Quinn was beaming, her expression just getting happier as Avery sat her down at the table and then proceeded to serve her two of the pancakes Michael had just taken out of the pan.

Next, she dragged Artie to the table, waiting patiently while Michael gave her some pancakes for him, which she put in front of him. She was about to say that Michael should give her some to serve to him too, but he sent her to the table with a pancake of her own.

"Uncle Michael, these pancakes are so good!" Avery said, after taking a bite. "You make better pancakes than Daddy. But Daddy makes better other things!"

"But I made the batter…" Artie trailed off, pretending to look sad and trying to choke back laughter. "Uncle Michael just cooked them."

"Oh. Well, they're good!" Avery said, stuffing more in her mouth.

* * *

><p>After breakfast, Avery and Michael cleaned up the kitchen, while Quinn and Artie got ready to go to the baby appointment. Artie was having some difficulty getting his shirts on without help, and, while Quinn's suggestion of just going shirtless sounded tempting, he didn't think it was appropriate to accompany his wife to a medical appointment without a shirt.<p>

They hadn't told Avery ahead of time that they were taking her with them to the appointment, but she soon found out. Ecstatic, she ran to her room, saying that she had to get changed before they left.

Once everyone was ready, the three of them headed out to the van. Michael had asked Steve to come over and help with a few house-related maintenance things, but he didn't tell Artie about it. He knew that Artie wasn't happy with the fact that there were just some things he couldn't do, and Michael planned that he and Steve would get a bunch of things done while they were at the appointment.

The drive to the doctor's office was fairly short, and before long they were in the waiting room. Avery was excited, not entirely sure what was going to happen at the appointment, even though Quinn had tried to explain it to her.

Soon, Quinn's name was called, and the three of them headed into the small exam room. Despite Quinn's protest that it might hurt his neck, Artie pulled Avery into his lap, both keeping her out of the way and relishing the fact that he could actually do that without it hurting (too much). He sat up near Quinn's head as she was prepped for the sonogram, one arm wrapped around Avery, the other reaching up to hold Quinn's hand. He wasn't exactly sure how long he could maintain that position, but he was going to try. He'd just take a painkiller when they got home.

As soon as the baby's heartbeat could be heard, Artie frowned slightly, hoping Quinn couldn't see his face. It sounded different than it had with Avery.

"Is something wrong?" Quinn asked, looking between the technician doing the scan and Artie. "What is it?"

"I just need to go get Dr. Scott," the tech said, rising from her stool. "But don't worry, everything is just fine," she added, smiling at the two of them before exiting the room.

Not wanting to upset Avery, Artie glanced up at Quinn, who just looked at him. It was impossible to read how she was feeling. The tech had said that everything was fine…that was reassuring, right? She wouldn't have said that if everything wasn't fine.

Before Quinn could say anything, the tech was back, Dr. Scott in tow. The baby's heartbeat could be heard again, as Dr. Scott listened, and then looked at the monitor.

"What's wrong?" Artie asked, unable to silence himself any longer. "What's going on?"

"Wrong? Nothing," the doctor said, smiling at the three of them. "You're having twins."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The plan from the beginning of this story was for it to be twins…sorry to burst the bubbles of everyone that said they thought it should be twins…But your requests just made me (us) feel that it was definitely the right choice!**

**Sorry for the short chapter…the next one will be longer! I thought it was perfect to end right there.**

**Co-written with GLEEful Heart, as usual.**

****Please take a moment to go to my page and vote in the poll.**


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